Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, CA The producers wanted a foil for Nell to interact with instead of just solving the girls problems. I understand that they had Katie,Julie,Jonathan and baby Nelle exit. Telma Hopkins Laurie Hendler on the other hand, was upset and caught by surprise because she had recently purchased a new house. Bring this hit sitcom back on the air, immediately. Officer Simpson catches Joey Donovan, an abandoned seven-year-old boy, trying to bilk people out of their money. According to Telma Hopkins, Nell Carter was devastated when the show was canceled and was an emotional wreck at the wrap party. In an interview Carter gave for O'Donnell's E! When the show went to New York, it was wasn't the same show anymore.". GIMME A BREAK (Entity Number: 1260888) was incorporated on 10/12/2001 in Ohio. 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.. 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. BREAK POINT BOOKS & MORE Cancelled. I know she did musicals but her singing voice is like chalk on a blackboard, very nasal. We heart all thing in the Entertainment field. Enough said. The boss, Mr. Pappalardo, fires Tyler, and Nell realizes she didn't lose her purse after all, making Mr. Papallardo re-hire him. [5], By contrast, the New York Times found the show promising, praising the performances of Carter and Sweet and the way the show balanced wisecracks with bits of seriousness. 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. Nell agreed, so as a favor to Margaret she moved into the Kanisky home and took over motherly duties. 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Lara Jill Miller said she routinely saw cocaine on the set. He never did, however, and eventually, Carl's worst fears losing his wife and partner in raising their daughters to lung cancer came true. After the death of Dolph Sweet (Carl) after season 4, the series continued for a season with Nell as the sole head of the Kanisky household. Nell Carter was deemed difficult to work with most of the time. I was 9 years old in 1981 when this show debuted. Grandpa (John Hoyt) starts off season 1 as almost deaf and very senile. Nell's father was originally the one who disapproved of Nell's dreams, but after he died. [12], Nell Carter received two Emmy nominations as Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Grandma Kanisky was dropped from the show with the explanation that she had passed away. McClanahan would not become a regular cast member on Gimme a Break; but she would return to NBC in 1985 for the sitcom Golden Girls. Those episodes were: Nell and the Kid, The Center, and The Purse Snatcher. The Amazing Spider-Man. I was born in 1978. Producers found it increasingly difficult to keep him on-screen due to his condition and gaunt appearance, but Sweet insisted on working as much as possible in order to help him cope with his illness. Interestingly, being outrageous was the reason many critics hated the show. 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. after Carl dies, much in the same way Florida Evans shouts the same thing after her husband James died on Good Times, ten years earlier. One of the producers saw him perform on The Johnny Carson Show and immediately wanted to add him as a cast member. This would eventually become known as "Must See TV", and come to include shows like Cheers (1982), Family Ties (1982), The Cosby Show (1984), Hill Street Blues (1981), Seinfeld (1989), L.A. Law (1986), ER (1994), Friends (1994), Will & Grace (1998), and The Office (2005), and would dominate the network ratings from the '80s into the 2000s. The sitcom took place in the fictional Los Angeles, California, suburb of Glenlawn. Nell also served as a confidante to the chief's three daughters, 17-year-old Katie (Kari Michaelsen), 15-year-old Julie (Lauri Hendler), and 13-year-old Samantha (Lara Jill Miller). Kari Michaelsen and Lauri Hendler returned for the Season Six episode Sam Goes to College at the beginning of Season Six despite leaving the show the previous season. 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. Rosie O' Donnell and Nell didn't get along during the final season and O' Donnell said Nell treated her terribly. Very good show that was one of many throughout TV sitcom history that revolved around a housekeeper/butler. On May 12, 1987, "Gimme a Break" was cancelled after 6 seasons and 137 episodes. Gimme a Break! 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. Like Laura Jill Miller previously, Joey Lawrence was getting older. "Parents' Week". Officer Simpson, who remained a friend of the family after the death of his superior, stuck around for another season. There was also friction between O'Donnell and Carter herself, who did not befriend the younger comedienne and only addressed her during rehearsals as her character's name "Maggie", which according to O'Donnell, was not because Carter was into the Stanislavsky Method. She questioned the child stars' morals, and the media for playing into the victim mentality. 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 episode's main plotline was about Nell's stolen purse, but went into the relationship of Mr. Pappalardo, his son, Nicky, his son's friend, and the establishment that Mr. Pappalardo owned and made the boys operate. Unlike movies which appear once, it's hard to rate a TV show since you're dealing with dozens of episodes and several seasons. 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. The fish died in the first episode, and kept coming back in subsequent episodes. 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. This line retcons the events of "Samantha Steals a Squad Car", when she, Season 3s The Way to a Mans Heart has her in Weight Winners, a. In addition, she said Nell was also unhappy with the script for that week. The show "Gimme A Break" was based on a cop who moved his family from New York to California after his wife Margaret passed away and also became the chief of police in a small fictional California town who in turn had this housekeeper named Nell who was no only in charge of the household,but also was in charge of his three daughters too in which Nell was not only the mother to them,but she had some tough love around that too. The Complete Series on DVD in Canada on July 20, 2010.[7]. [1], Main article: List of Gimme a Break! He was born Adolphus J. Throughout the course of Gimme a Break, there had been several un-successful spin-off attempts. Howard Morton's role on the show as Officer Simpson served no purpose anymore with The Chief gone. We heart you!!! Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, Best Actress Television Series Musical or Comedy, "List of Season's Top-Rated TV Shows With PM-Nielsens, Bjt", "Please! He talks about how tough he and his family had it growing up, and also touches upon his deceased wife. In her autobiography, Rue McClanahan says this was a bad television show, but at that point in her career, she had to take what she was offered. GIMME A BREAK. 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. Carters publicist Roger Lane said Carter collapsed and died of natural causes in her Beverly Hills home. Your email address will not be published. I have, in fact, written a review of this episode and it has been posted. We heart living like a star. Many Jews from the entertainment industry are buried here. Contents 1 Premise 2 Cast 2.1 Main characters 2.2 Recurring characters 3 Episodes 4 Production information 5 Broadcast history This prompts her to move out of the house temporarily, and when Carl stands his ground and justifies his actions, Nell, Katie and Samantha ostracize him forcing his hand and, in talking to Julie, getting him to reveal why he was so furious with her. In real life the three performers would all go on tour together during their hiatuses. Helen Hunt auditioned for the role of Katie Kanisky. In the end, he forgives her, and tells her he was never as rich as he is now that he owns his own deli. It's that easy! The show was about a woman named Nell Harper (Nell Carter), who agrees to be a housekeeper for the Kanisky household as a special favor to her late friend, Margaret Huffman Kanisky (played in flashback by Sharon Spelman) who was the wife of police chief Carl Kanisky (Dolph Sweet). Rosie O' Donnell revealed in a podcast interview with actress Busy Phillips, that on her first day on set was a toxic experience. / 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). Mort Lachman, the show's co-creator, was retained as co-producer (he would serve in this role for all six seasons). I always thought the show lost it when they kept changing the words to the openingbut it did have all us kids saying "GIMME A BREAK!" Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. Gimme a Break! What Are They Thinking of at NBC? Plot The show was about a woman named Nell Harper (Nell Carter), who agrees to be a housekeeper for the Kanisky household as a special favor to her late friend, Margaret Huffman Kanisky (played in flashback by Sharon Spelman) who was the wife of police chief Carl Kanisky (Dolph Sweet). The plan was for Nell to become a housemother at Samantha's college dorm, reminiscent of the early seasons of the hit NBC sitcom the The Facts of Life. But the show belong to Nell Carter who was a joy to watch. I saw episodes from Seasons One and Two and it seemed like the middle and younger daughters got all the speaking parts, and the youngest one all the zingers. Nell's character went back to school to get her diploma and starting taking college courses in child psychology. In the show, the chief of police's wife has just died, and he asks Nell (Nell Carter) to come in and work for him, helping him raise his three daughters in the process. Final episode date. If you grew up in the 80's this show was a must see. During the third season, Pat Sajak guest-starred as himself when Nell and Addy were contestants on Wheel of Fortune. Gimme A Break! Gimme a Break! John Hoyt, however, who played Sweet's on-screen father Stanley, was born October 5, 1904 (some sources say 1905), nearly 16 years before him, making their age difference more credible. She's in the "White Boys/Black Boys" number with Night Court (1984)'s Ellen Foley. The producers had zero intentions on recasting Dolph Sweet's role of The Chief. 's original producers Coleman Mitchell and Geoffrey Neigher, which involved personality conflicts and creative differences. I don't remember the original theme song and after looking up old episodes on YouTube I hate it. He shared the accountability together with his spouse's buddy, Nell Harper, performed by Tony-winning actor Nell Carter. Ditzy friend Angie, senile Grandpa and many credible guest stars , including Tom Poston,Helen Hunt, Don Rickles, Rue McClanahan and Danny Glover. When Carl demands an explanation, Katie makes a snide remark "She can't say anything, she's dead!" Originally, Nell's mother supported her dream of being a singer, but later became a shrill woman who never had faith in her. Nell's Mama Maybelle (Rosetta LeNoire) began being seen in more recurring roles starting in season six after previous guest appearances. There, they discovered Joey's irresponsible father, Tim (guest star Patrick Collins), who showed him his brother, Matthew (played by Matthew Lawrence, Joey's real-life brother), and left them with Nell and Grandpa. When his backstory is finally explained when he reunites with his father, in particular that his mother is dead and his father was at sea, it turns out that he really was living with an uncle at the time Nell adopted him. 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. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that I'll always remember this show in my memory forever, even though I don't think I've seen every episode. 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. Carter died in 2003, at age 54. after the phone rings. We heart books. 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. This show was one of my favorite's as a kid growing up in the 1980s It had me laughing constantly. The Complete Series is now available in the US. Age, September 13, 1948 By the end of the Season 2 the tension between them gotten so bad to the point that Nell threatened the network and demanded either they get replaced or she wouldn't return to the show. Two episodes were particularly noteworthy. FremantleMedia owns the international rights, as they own Thames Television, which acquired Reeves Entertainment Group in 1990. NBC warned the producers that if they wanted a sixth season, drastic changes would have to be made or the series would be canceled. Parker was completely bewildered regarding the fallout. Although not noted on several Gimme A Break! Although I don't remember much about it, I must say that it was a pretty good show. Nell becomes sort of a mother figure for the girls, and everyone tries to learn from each other. Nell Carter and Dolph Sweet (who played The Chief) both played off one another well. / Veterans of Cancelled TV Shows That We Lost in March 2009, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart. Margaret was dying of lung cancer, and the Chief could not have raised the kids alone. is an American sitcom that ran on NBC for six seasons (198187), 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). The only sitcom where there was an earthquake in two episodes. Moreover, they featured near-identical scorelines: wild card Kimberly Birrell upset No.31 seed Kaia Kanepi 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1 and No.26 seed Elise Mertens scored her first win over Garbie Muguruza 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1. I also love the grandfather character. BREAK TIME SERVICE Cancelled. Nell Carter as an overweight housekeeper, a devout guardian to 3 teenage white girls and a force not to be reckoned with whenever she dealt with the Chief of Police - Carl Kanisky, pretty well sums up what this 1980s sitcom is about. Kaser was named as the heir to Carters property and guardian of Carters children. When they brought the character back in season 2 she was replaced with actress Bonnie Urseth. "There ain't no Julio here!" #80s Began in 1981, ran 6 seasons & 137 episodes. 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. Reruns have also aired nationally on WWOR EMI Service and USA. Also, the network had nothing to replace the show with as they were struggling with their programming and ratings during this time period. The Chief's brother, to a degree. Nell wonders why her mother would have a date, and when her mother shows up, she meets her date, Ernie, a man from her past. Nell became an uptight, overdramatic control freak after season two. Before that she was a contract singer for Motown. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief ( Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. She might as well not have been there at all. Hopkins portrayed Addy Wilson, a longtime childhood best friend of Nell and a Ph.D graduate. Nelle was the most loyal, lovable, and funny person. Two of them were during the first season and one was during the second. 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. To open the next season, the crew wrote out the character of Carl Kanisky and built the season premiere ("Joey's Train") around the family's coming to terms with the loss and their indecision over facing the one place that evoked the most memories of Carl his empty bedroom. She and Max Green (Don Rickles) catch an orphaned girl named Danny stealing money and food. The daughters were all fired at the end of the fifth season, because of the low ratings on the show. 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. Alter Ego. This list included Helen Hunt, who is, in fact, my favorite actress ever! Alpha House. I am so happy that this show has finally made it to the era of DVD. Gimme a Break! . Nell Carter got more creative control of the show when the new producers Rod Parker and Hal Cooper came onto to the show during it's third season. / On May 8, 1985, actor Dolph Sweet (who portrayed the character of Carl "The Chief" Kanisky) passed away from cancer at the age of 64 and his final appearance on the show aired three days later on the day of his funeral. Visual Entertainment (under license from FremantleMedia) released the first two seasons of Gimme a Break! Again, the Kaniskys only appear in one scene, and most of the focus is put on the boys. Grandma Kanisky was portrayed by three different actresses Elvia Allman, Elizabeth Kerr, and Jane Dulo. At this point, the producers were faced with a dilemma: either cancel the series or renew it for a sixth season with significant changes. Gimme a Break! Gimme a Break was canceled in the spring of 1987. Reportedly, Carter was jealous of O'Donnell about stealing the limelight and wouldn't speak to her on set. She can do it all sing, dance and act. It was a sitcom that ran for a total of 6 seasons and consisted of 137 episodes. If you grew up in the 80's this show was a must see. 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. So three different actors were cast in the role of the youngest Kanisky child; a boy and two girls. Dolph Sweet's final episode aired May 11, 1985, three days after he died. Lauri Hendler was the only Jewish member of the original cast. Parker said he was always most concerned on the effect Nell's intense mood swings could have on the kids on the show. Telma Hopkins felt the show lost its ground quickly when they made all the changes in the sixth season. DMCA. on Issac Hayes' hit song "Theme From Shaft.". Antenna TV aired the show from January 2, 2018 until December 31, 2021. "The Purse Snatcher" also seems to be one of these. Age, 83years (April 22, 1939) Place of burial For other uses, see. Nell and the Kanisky family lived at 2938 Wells Drive. Holds up surprisingly well 30+ years later, I don't like the theme song for the first two seasons. A real romance developed between Kari Michaelson and Andy Gibb when he guest starred. 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. every chance we could. Nell Carter, Jonathan Silverman, Joey Lawrence, and Matthew Lawrence all play characters named after themselves. to check out the antics of the Kanisky family. Another episode that aired earlier in the 198485 season, "Baby of the Family", ranked No. Dolph Sweet also played a police chief in the original Out of Towners movie (1970). NBC granted Nell's wishes and replaced Lachman and Rosen with new show runners Rod Parker and Hal Cooper who previously worked on (All in the Family, Maude and Love, Sidney) beginning in Season 3. Cooper and Parker thought the original producers didn't utilize Nell's talents and one of the first things they changed to the show was having Nell sing more on the show. - A Fan Inquiry to Us on Facebook Leads to Some VERY Interesting New Information! Altered Carbon. January 23, 2003 One episode has Katie hospitalized when her I.U.D. After the death of actor Dolph Sweet after Season 4, the series continued for a season with Nell as the sole head of the Kanisky household, which was sad, so they decided to completely revamp the show, and for the final season, most of the cast (minus the older Kanisky daughters) moved to New York Cityand enter pre-famous Rosie O' Donnel as wacky friend Maggie, and Paul Sand as Marty the loveable landlord. TV Listings. By the fifth season, ratings started declining and NBC demanded the producers retool the show. Mel Carter Nell was at Dolph's bedside during his death, and read his eulogy at his funeral. I used to watch this show when I was a little girl. Marty (Paul Sand) was their landlord who also owned a Mexican restaurant under the name "Esteban." Nell's mother was originally portrayed by Hilda Haynes. FremantleMedia owns the international rights, as they own Thames Television, which acquired Alan Landsburg Productions and Reeves Entertainment Group product in 1990. It came to a natural end with Tom moving away to be in Crossroads, but as we all know, that too has died on its arse so I. 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. NBC had many quality sitcoms on the air in the 80s, such as Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts Of Life, Silver Spoons, etc. The blonde oldest girl was very pretty but didn't have much to do, just a "hi Nell" or "bye Dad" and that was it. This sitcom centers on a housekeeper played by Nell Carter. From 1981 to 1987, viewers tuned into Gimme a Break! There were two reasons why it didn't happen. Reportedly, the tears of the cast during this fifth season retrospective episode, when the Chief and Dolph died were quite real. "Gimme a Break!" became Sweet's last work because of his unfortunate cancer diagnosis, which took away his life in 1985. 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.
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