Apple Pie is an American sitcom that aired for only two episodes on ABC on September 23 and September 30, 1978.
| Apple Pie | |
|---|---|
 Promotional photo, (from left to right: Jack Gilford, Rue McClanahan, Dabney Coleman) | |
| Created by | Norman Lear |
| Written by | Charlie Hauck Sy Rosen Bill Davenport Arthur Julian |
| Directed by | Peter Bonerz |
| Starring | Rue McClanahan Dabney Coleman Jack Gilford Caitlin O'Heaney Derrel Maury |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 (6 unaired) |
| Production | |
| Producer | Charlie Hauck |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | T.A.T. Communications Company |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 23 – September 30, 1978 |
Overview edit
Rue McClanahan starred as Ginger-Nell Hollyhock, a single and lonely hairdresser who lives in Kansas City, Missouri, during the Great Depression year of 1933. When Ginger-Nell places classified ads in the local newspapers, she recruits a group of wacky relatives – a con-man husband, Fast Eddie Murtaugh; a tap-dancing daughter, Anna Marie Hollyhock; a son who wanted to fly like a bird, Junior Hollyhock; and a tottering old blind grandfather, Grandpa Hollyhock – all of whom come to live together for the laughs.[1]
Cast edit
- Rue McClanahan as Ginger-Nell Hollyhock
- Dabney Coleman as Fast Eddie Murtaugh
- Jack Gilford as Grandpa Hollyhock
- Caitlin O'Heaney as Anna Marie Hollyhock
- Derrel Maury as Junior Hollyhock
Episodes edit
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Peter Bonerz | Lawrence J. Cohen, Fred Freeman & Charlie Hauck | Unaired | |
| When an FBI agent shows up at the Hollyhock house looking for a bank robbery suspect, Grandpa Hollyhock and the family thinks it's a laughing matter. | |||||
| 2 | "Fast Eddie Slows Down" | Peter Bonerz | Charlie Hauck | September 23, 1978 | |
| In need of mortgage money, Ginger-Nell advertises for a head of household to pay the bill. | |||||
| 3 | "Ginger-Nell Goes Hollywood" | Peter Bonerz | Charlie Hauck | September 30, 1978 | |
| A fast-talking door-to-door salesman (Ken Berry) tells Ginger-Nell she's going to be a star. | |||||
| 4 | "Rich Man, Poor Girl" | Peter Bonerz | Sy Rosen | Unaired | |
| Anna Marie falls in love with a wealthy snob (William Schallert) and Ginger-Nell fears he will take advantage of her. | |||||
| 5 | "The Tornado" | Peter Bonerz | Bill Davenport | Unaired | |
| A tornado hits town and the Hollyhock family seeks shelter in their cellar. | |||||
| 6 | "Ginger-Nell Loses Her Touch" | Peter Bonerz | Arthur Julian | Unaired | |
| 7 | "A Man from Ginger-Nell's Past" | Peter Bonerz | Arthur Julian | Unaired | |
| 8 | "They Walk Among us" | Peter Bonerz | Sy Rosen | Unaired | |
Reception edit
When the sitcom Maude ended in April 1978, producer Norman Lear created Apple Pie as a star vehicle for Rue McClanahan, who had played Vivian Harmon on Maude. The show was not well received and was canceled after two episodes, though eight had been filmed under the direction of Peter Bonerz.[2]
Apple Pie was broadcast Saturday nights on ABC at 8:30 p.m. during its brief two-week run. It was videotaped before a live audience at Metromedia Square in Hollywood, California.[3]
References edit
- ^ Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (New York: Ballantine Books, 1979), 33.
- ^ Intimate Portrait: Rue McClanahan. DVD. Directed by Lee Grant. 2000; (Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 2005).
- ^ Bob Leszczak, Single Season Sitcoms 1948–1979: A Complete Guide (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2012).
