Ambitions. I am so happy that this show has finally made it to the era of DVD. 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!, died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, the Associated Press reports. Helen Hunt auditioned for the role of Katie Kanisky. Their business is recorded as REGISTERED TRADE NAME. 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). When they brought the character back in season 2 she was replaced with actress Bonnie Urseth. They ended up working out their differences and became friends. Several spin-offs were considered by producing pilot episodes during the series run. The Amazing Race. As the show grew in popularity, the cast also grew and they added in Carl's father played by Stanley Kanisky (who is almost like the original dad from Fraiser), Adelaide Wilson, who was Nell's best friend, played by Thelma Hopkins, Howard Morton who played Officer Ralph Simpson, and as all 80's shows of that time didthey added in an adorable kid, this one played by Joey Lawrence (pre Blossom) as adopted son" Joey"clever. Grandma Kanisky was dropped from the show with the explanation that she had passed away. 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. Nell Carter was deemed difficult to work with most of the time. This show is in syndication on Antenna Tv and the episodes are on YouTube . Nell Carter The Kanisky daughters need all the help they can . 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. A feisty housekeeper named Nell helps a widowed police chief raise his three daughters in a sassy sitcom that mocked stereotypes by showing a loving relationship . 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. GIMME A BREAK!!! So three different actors were cast in the role of the youngest Kanisky child; a boy and two girls. Everyone was ideally cast, the costume design was great. 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! Kari Michaelson, who portrayed oldest daughter Katie on the show, said she was relieved when she got the call that she, Laurie Hendler, and Lara Jill Miller were getting fired during the 1986-1987 season. Watch Gimme a Break! A guide listing the titles AND air dates for episodes of the TV series Gimme a Break!. Reportedly, Carter was jealous of O'Donnell about stealing the limelight and wouldn't speak to her on set. They should of had a Gimme a Break reunion movie. 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. cast members, and just focuses on the two boys and Mr. Pappalard. 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. Nell agreed, so as a favor to Margaret she moved into the Kanisky home and took over motherly duties. Mel Carter In this episode, she was a busy body on a hospital pay phone. Nell's Mama Maybelle (Rosetta LeNoire) began being seen in more recurring roles starting in season six after previous guest appearances. And there was also occasional humorous interplay with the Chief's children and their grandfather, as well as with some of the early guest. At this point, the producers were faced with a dilemma: either cancel the series or renew it for a sixth season with significant changes. Enjoy all of Ms. Carters' talents and cherish them for all time. Nell Carter's debut on television was not this show but Cindy; a TV movie which was a 1978 black musical satire of Cinderella. Rosetta LeNoire took over the role during the show's fourth season. Carter would binge eat. Gimme A Break, was certainly in the same league as any of NBC's other popular comedy shows. , and the experimentation became regular use. Contents 1 Cast 1.1 Main characters 1.2 Recurring characters It's cool that we have reruns of it. Netflix has announced that Daybreak will not be renewed for a second season. He was born Adolphus J. Universal Studios Home Entertainment released a three-disc DVD of the complete first season of Gimme a Break! Before Lawrence arrived on set Nell would take Lara to eat at restaurants, but when Lawrence arrive on set Nell shifted her focus to the much younger and cuter Joey. (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 Typical family situation comedy, nothing special. If I thought television could get substantially worse than this, I am not sure I would have the courage or desire ever to turn the set on again, Shales concluded. As they were redoing it, the boy was replaced by Tracey Gold, who was going to play a tomboy named Samantha. This was meant to be a cliffhanger season finale, as the episode ends saying "To Be Continued", but the next season's premiere had to be retooled to have the family deal with the Chief's death instead of his reaction to Julie's sudden marriage. Her character married the only other Jewish person in the cast, Jonathan Silverman. Nell's airhead and squeaky voice friend Angie portrayed by Alvernette Jimenez was dropped from the show. The episode soon only focuses on Max and Danny at the deli and then Max Green's slummy bachelor apartment and the interaction between him and Danny. #IHeartHollywood. She was 54. . Too many changes were made and and the series was a completely different show from when it started. Howard Morton's role on the show as Officer Simpson served no purpose anymore with The Chief gone. Carters publicist Roger Lane said Carter collapsed and died of natural causes in her Beverly Hills home. And as much as they tried to make it work, there were just things missing. 32. Your email address will not be published. In an interview Carter gave for O'Donnell's E! Laurie Hendler on the other hand, was upset and caught by surprise because she had recently purchased a new house. Miller also expressed in the same interview that she felt the producers made a big mistake getting rid of the daughters and implied that the decision came from the girls receiving less story-lines starting around the fourth season and more emphasis being put on Nell Carter and Thelma Hopkins. Early in her career, singer Whitney Houston made her acting debut in a non-singing role the Season 3 episode Katie's College. Nell's character went back to school to get her diploma and starting taking college courses in child psychology. 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. 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!,. The show has numerous character recast throughout the duration of the series. Lauri Hendler, who played Julie on the show, admits in interviews that although everyone involved in the production was aware that Dolph was fatally ill for several months, and they all knew his time was coming, when the producers made the announcement on the set that Dolph had passed she burst into uncontrollable tears. In the episode, Nell decides to have lunch there just to try a new hip place in town, and finds her purse has been stolen. 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. The show followed Nell Harper, the housekeeper to Carl Kanisky and his three teenage daughters, Katie, Julie, and Sam. This was explained in the Flashback episode in Season 3. Enough said. In 2009, VEI announced that they plan on releasing the entire series in a complete series box set in 2010. Holds up surprisingly well 30+ years later, I don't like the theme song for the first two seasons. There were two Matthews on the show. every chance we could. We heart you!!! Gimme a Break! During the third season, Pat Sajak guest-starred as himself when Nell and Addy were contestants on Wheel of Fortune. The sitcom took place in the fictional Los Angeles, California, suburb of Glenlawn. A real romance developed between Kari Michaelson and Andy Gibb when he guest starred. including a new theme song, new producers, and new writers (only co-Creator Mort Lachman stayed). If you grew up in the 80's this show was a must see. 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. GIMME A BREAK. The show has been in syndication since 1985. BREAK TIME SERVICE Cancelled. I think that the cast in Gimme a Break was excellent. He said Blossom, because Gimme a Break "was done so long ago, it's not really relevant at this point". We heart Celebrities. 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). During the summer 1984 hiatus, Dolph Sweet underwent stomach surgery, which was revealed shortly after to be the first extensive treatment for cancer. 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. But her mom did and helped her obtain it. Nov 05, 2007 #8. Mr. Kaminsky was a widower with 3 daughters, in the initial seasons and Nell was the surrogate mom/housekeeper. 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. Gimme a Break! I forgot about this show and I've been watching the reruns . He then claimed she wasn't very nice to Lawrence and didn't want to do much with him. Hopkins revealed she convinced LeNoire who was hesitant to read the script and take on a role on the series predicting it would be a big hit. With spotify premium, you get ad free music, forever! Alphas. One episode has Katie hospitalized when her I.U.D. We heart TV shows. Give her a break! According to Rod Parker in an interview, at one point during the series Nell Carter had a slight falling out with Joey Lawrence because she thought he was getting too much screen-time. But I actually like Mama's Family so go figure. They either recast them, lose cast members or cancel their show. In the end, he forgives her, and tells her he was never as rich as he is now that he owns his own deli. I vaguely remember the theme song. She and Max Green (Don Rickles) catch an orphaned girl named Danny stealing money and food. We heart influencers and interesting people. Nell, first for the girls' mother, and then later after the death of their father. In 2009, VEI announced that they plan on releasing the entire series in a complete series box set in 2010. Though I watched Gimme a Break from the start, it goes without saying that I lacked the maturity at that age to fully understand the adult humor and social issues being explored. Carter distanced herself from the show following its run. All these years later I watched a couple episodes just to "check in", and it was pretty much as I'd remembered it. websites online as a spin-off attempt, this episode most likely was a tester for a new series, as it aired at the end of the season (which is when tester episodes usually aired for new fall series). One of the episodes is called "Knock Three Times". on DVD in Canada between 2006-07. Helen Hunt portrayed Katie's pregnant friend Valerie in season 1. 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.
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