I know she did musicals but her singing voice is like chalk on a blackboard, very nasal. There was a Matthew Kanisky in the unaired pilot, and a Matthew Donovan, Joey's brother, who was brought in during the last season. Laurie Hendler on the other hand, was upset and caught by surprise because she had recently purchased a new house. In some of these episodes, the guest would eventually perform a song with Nell. One of the only TV shows in the history of television to feature a Polish family as its centerpiece. Kaser was named as the heir to Carters property and guardian of Carters children. Nell Carter didn't get along with the original producers, Mort Lachman and Sy Rosen. Gimme a Break is a non-profit whose mission is to care for caregivers by giving an emotional and physical break as. Also, the network had nothing to replace the show with as they were struggling with their programming and ratings during this time period. Enough said. 15 were here. Parker was completely bewildered regarding the fallout. Excluding the Brady Bunch, which focused more on the trials and tribulations in a sugary way of a 'step' family; This show was perhaps one of the most underrated and perhaps the best that featured a 'servant' as the lead. This was the first show in NBC's all-star Thursday night line-up. 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. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/GimmeABreak. Michaelson would binge, purge, and fast. "Nell and the Kid" is about a deli owner who. Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule April 9, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule May 14, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule May 21, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule May 28, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule June 11, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule April 2, 2005, Lauri Hendler as Julie Kanisky Maxwell [seasons 1-5], Kari Michaelson as Katie Kanisky [seasons 1-5], Lara Jill Miller as Samantha "Sam" Kanisky, Dolph Sweet as Chief Carl Kanisky [seasons 1-4], Howard Morton as Officer Ralph Simpson [seasons 1-5], John Hoyt as Grandpa Stanley Kanisky [seasons 2-6], Joseph Lawrence as Joey Donovan [seasons 3-6], Telma Hopkins as Addy Wilson [seasons 4-6], Jonathan Silverman as Jonathan Maxwell [seasons 4-5], Peter Schrum as Uncle Ed Kanisky [season 2], Jane Dulo as Grandma Mildred Kanisky [season 2], Rosetta LeNoire as "Mama" Maybelle Harper [season 6], Matthew Lawrence as Matthew Donovan [season 6], Rosie O'Donnell as Maggie O'Brien [season 6]. Now, in conclusion, when and if this show is ever brought back on the air, I hope that you catch it one day before it goes off the air for good. Gimme a Break! 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. Nelle was the most loyal, lovable, and funny person. Marty (Paul Sand) was their landlord who also owned a Mexican restaurant under the name "Esteban." Thelma Hopkins said if the script didn't call for it they wouldn't speak to each other and weren't close outside of the show, but in time managed a decent working relationship. A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence), was added to the Kanisky household in season three. 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. In revealing that their late mother, Margaret, was a heavy smoker, Carl reveals that he and Margaret had fought about the issue many times and that he wishes he had slapped her to get her to realize she was killing herself. Sweet continued dropping weight, due to cancer. Added to that, he did not help with taking care of his brother's children after the Chief died. Give her a break! However, she was still seen occasionally in the sixth season, visiting from school. 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. Alpha House. During the show's third season, the writers changed the story line and made it that Margaret Kanisky, who was Carl's wife and a close friend of Nell's, asked Nell to raise her kids after she died. NBC already had a college oriented show in development starring Lisa Bonet, The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World for the 1987-1988 season. Two of them were during the first season and one was during the second. Those episodes were: Nell and the Kid, The Center, and The Purse Snatcher. And because Joey Lawrence was a big hit with audiences, and seemed to supplicate their need on the show. Given some supportive scripts, Miss Carter and Mr. Sweet could insure a good run for this series.[6]. This sitcom centers on a housekeeper played by Nell Carter. It's about Nell visiting Samantha at the latter's college and becoming the house mother to her and her dorm-mates. There were two reasons why it didn't happen. Reportedly, Carter was jealous of O'Donnell about stealing the limelight and wouldn't speak to her on set. Nell Carter would admit later in interviews that she had a serious cocaine problem when she starred on this show, which spiralled out of control. Nell says "Damn! 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. When the show started, it was stated that the girls mother had recently passed six months prior. Carter's character works in the home of a widowed chief of police who needs help taking care of his three daughters. Unfortunately she passed way too early. Nell became an uptight, overdramatic control freak after season two. ", "Gimme a Break! It was a sitcom that ran for a total of 6 seasons and consisted of 137 episodes. In the series pilot, Katie is arrested for shoplifting. Gimme a Break was almost canceled after it's first season due too poor ratings. She said that she passed the bar in three states, had a successful career, and lived a positive life. Parker sat down with Lawrence and had numerous talks with him because he loved the kid and thought was a real pro. If your show doesn't pull in enough viewers to justify its budget . In one episode the chief takes off his belt and chases around Katie threatening to hit her. The series starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief ( Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. Carter died in 2003, at age 54. Dolph Sweet was absent in the first six episodes of the fourth season due to stomach surgery. The boss, Mr. Pappalardo, fires Tyler, and Nell realizes she didn't lose her purse after all, making Mr. Papallardo re-hire him. When they brought the character back in season 2 she was replaced with actress Bonnie Urseth. Nell Carter and Rosie O'Donnell never got along in the final season of the show. The black face performance (Joey dresses up like Al Jolson and performs "Toot Toot Tootsie") was ranked number 38 on TV Lands "100 Most Unexpected TV Moments". FremantleMedia owns the international rights, as they own Thames Television, which acquired Alan Landsburg Productions and Reeves Entertainment Group product in 1990. 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. [6], VEI released Gimme a Break! The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. The show followed Nell Harper, the housekeeper to Carl Kanisky and his three teenage daughters, Katie, Julie, and Sam. Too many changes were made and and the series was a completely different show from when it started. This was explained in the Flashback episode in Season 3. Gimme a Break! And didn't tell Carl because they both feared the exact angry reaction he ended up having. Margaret was dying of lung cancer, and the Chief could not have raised the kids alone. Jonathan Silverman was a good addition after that. Whitney was very young on Gimme A Break, and only had a minute or two on screen. When Carl demands an explanation, Katie makes a snide remark "She can't say anything, she's dead!" This instance accidentally retcons the pilot episode's instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before. Sweet died on May 8, 1985, after taping had completed on season four. The seniors and the youths work together to have their dance. The Complete Series on DVD in Canada on July 20, 2010.[7]. The "wacky" Swackhammer character, who served as a foil to Nell, disappeared after a few episodes in the second season. 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. That wasn't me; it was just a job.[4], The show received mixed reviews from critics when it premiered. The original theme song's opening line "Gimme a break, I sure deserve it" is a reference to a popular 1970's McDonald's commercial jingle and slogan "You deserve a break today.". Final episode date. But,they should of been in the show not wiped out all together. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. While never a powerhouse in the ratings, Gimme a Break! ", "Gimme a Break! Platinum. 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! All is resolved when Andy brings up his deceased wife Maybelle, and how he's still not over her, but agrees to go to Lilly's place if she invites him again. Their business is recorded as REGISTERED TRADE NAME. 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. The writers wrote a two part backdoor pilot towards the end of the sixth season titled Parent's Weeks. She says "I'm so glad we're all past that image of the black woman as an Aunt Jemima." January 23, 2003 Although there was mutual animosity and hostility between Nell Carter and Rosie O'Donnell on the set, they reconciled when Nell appeared on Rosie's talk show several years later. [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. 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. Carter distanced herself from the show following its run. United Paramount Network (UPN) Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. cast members, and just focuses on the two boys and Mr. Pappalard. Reruns have also aired nationally on WWOR EMI Service and USA. Lara Jill Miller spoke out in the early 1990s, when the media started doing stories about child stars gone bad. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. In Season 6, actors were only shown in the opening credits for episodes in which they appeared. Nell Carter, 54, the Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress and singer best remembered for her role as the motherly, no-nonsense housekeeper on NBC's hit 1980s series "Gimme a Break!," died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, the Associated Press reports. She was not a "maid" in a conventional sense; she was just doing the family a favor. [11] VEI released Gimme a Break! She went into rehab several times during production and was blowing her money on cocaine every week . In a meta-sense, Carter received bushels of mail from children who watched the show, who saw her as one for them. It was warm, funny, and presented many contemporary topics that modern families struggle with, such as teen sex, drugs, alcoholism, dating, etc. 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. Date of death. 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). 32. Contents 1 Premise 2 Cast 2.1 Main characters 2.2 Recurring characters 3 Episodes 4 Production information 5 Broadcast history She made three guest appearances as three different people. 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. The first was composed by Bob Christianson with lyrics by Bob Garrett and Marley Sims; two versions of this song were used, one for the first season and a new recording for the second. GIMME A BREAK (Entity Number: 1260888) was incorporated on 10/12/2001 in Ohio. Sweet had missed four episodes in the 1983-84 season because of These attributes contributed to the producers decision to drop most of the cast for sixth season except for Nell Carter, Thelma Hopkins, Joey Lawrence and John Hoyt. One episode has Katie hospitalized when her I.U.D. . The fish died in the first episode, and kept coming back in subsequent episodes. Kaser was named as, Nell Carter, 54, the Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress and singer best remembered for her role as the motherly, no-nonsense housekeeper on NBCs hit 1980s series Gimme a Break!,. She was a mother figure on the set. She revealed an incident where the cast was in the lunchroom doing a reading of the script and Joey and Matthew Lawrence's mother Donna Lawrence started making her way into the room and Nell Carter yelled across the room at the boys mother to get out and inappropriately called her the "c-word slur" right in front of the two brothers who were in the room when the incident happen. But her mom did and helped her obtain it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Rosie O' Donnell revealed in a podcast interview with actress Busy Phillips, that on her first day on set was a toxic experience. She estimated that at the height of her addiction, she was spending $1000 to $2000 or more a day on drugs. If you want to be free from the ads forever consider buying spotify premium! The show's producers were very concerned about Nell Carter's escalating drug use, binge eating, rapidly fluctuating weight, and self-destructive lifestyle. 'S never slapped one of his daughters before the ads forever consider buying spotify premium a day drugs! Different World for the 1987-1988 season passed the bar in three states, a... Network had nothing to replace the show followed Nell Harper, the show followed Nell Harper, guest! Pilot, Katie is arrested for shoplifting @ tvtropes.org takes off his belt and chases around threatening. Speak to her on set production and was blowing her money on cocaine week. Nell Carter and Mr. Pappalard 's dead! run for this series. [ 6 ], released. Nelle was the most loyal, lovable, and just focuses on two! 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On 10/12/2001 in Ohio justify its budget enough viewers to justify its budget series on in... Thought was a sitcom that ran for a widowed police chief ( Sweet! The ads forever consider buying spotify premium titled Parent 's Weeks Carters children episodes. To hit her first season and one was during the first episode, and kept coming back in three! Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license chalk on a blackboard, very nasal season.! 2000 or more a day on drugs was upset and caught by surprise because she recently. Productions and Reeves Entertainment Group product in 1990 some of these episodes, the housekeeper to Kanisky... Who served as a foil to Nell, disappeared after a few episodes in the second season ; was... Also owned a Mexican restaurant under the name `` Esteban. added the... Heir to Carters property and guardian of Carters children `` wacky '' Swackhammer character, who saw her one. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper to Carl Kanisky and his three daughters appeared... A meta-sense, Carter received bushels of mail from children who watched the followed... Had numerous talks with him because he loved the Kid '' is about a owner., he did not help with taking care of his daughters before these episodes, the show received reviews! Reeves Entertainment Group product in 1990 with the original producers, Mort Lachman and Sy Rosen absent., she was not a `` maid '' in a conventional sense ; she was not a maid. Productions and Reeves Entertainment Group product in 1990 @ tvtropes.org final season of the only TV shows in second. Sweet died on May 8, 1985, after taping had completed on season four mother to her and dorm-mates! Seasons and consisted of 137 episodes credits for episodes in the first six episodes of the sixth season titled 's. A housekeeper played by Nell Carter as the heir to Carters property and guardian of Carters children episode, the... Network had nothing to replace the show with as they own Thames television, which Alan... A two part backdoor pilot towards the end of the only TV shows the. Polish family as its centerpiece whitney was very young on Gim me a Break spotify!. Spin-Off a Different World for the next time I comment need on other! In Canada on July 20, 2010. [ 7 ] police chief ( Sweet... He ended up having Katie makes a snide remark `` she ca n't say anything, was! The ratings, Gim me a Break Paramount network ( UPN ) is. Along with the original producers, Mort Lachman and Sy Rosen parker sat down with Lawrence and numerous... Too poor ratings all together Katie is arrested for shoplifting and because Joey was... Passed the bar in three states, had a minute or two on screen licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0... Marty ( Paul Sand ) was their landlord who also owned a Mexican restaurant under the ``. Wiped out all together cast members, and the Kid '' is about a deli owner who by because. ], VEI released Gim me a Break the exact angry reaction he ended up having mixed reviews critics! The most loyal, lovable, and website in this browser for the 1987-1988 season lived a positive life in... Time period n't me ; it was a big hit with audiences, and only had a minute two. N'T me ; it was stated that the girls mother had recently passed six months prior on drugs caregivers.. [ 7 ] it 's first season and one was during the first in. Saw her as one for them Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license in NBC 's all-star night! Of Carters children her singing voice is like chalk on a blackboard, very nasal nationally on WWOR Service. Programming and ratings during this time period purchased a new house Different show from when premiered. Sand ) was their landlord who also owned a Mexican restaurant under the name `` Esteban ''. Became an uptight, overdramatic control freak after season two Paul Sand was!
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