Another episode has Julie not knowing the cause of her mother's death (it was lung cancer, which is how Carl convinces Julie to quit smoking). 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). Date of birth. All rights reserved. Unlike movies which appear once, it's hard to rate a TV show since you're dealing with dozens of episodes and several seasons. 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. We heart TV shows. 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. Carter had begun experimenting with cocaine while in the cast of Aint Misbehavin Sweet died in 1985, at age 64, while the show was still in production. was an American sitcom that ran on NBC for six seasons from 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. They either recast them, lose cast members or cancel their show. The husband (played by Dolph Sweet) is the chief of police of Glenlawn CA. Nell Carter, Jonathan Silverman, Joey Lawrence, and Matthew Lawrence all play characters named after themselves. 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. Nov 05, 2007 #8. [6], VEI released Gimme a Break! The show followed Nell Harper, the housekeeper to Carl Kanisky and his three teenage daughters, Katie, Julie, and Sam. Reminds me of Mama's Family or something. Many Jews from the entertainment industry are buried here. premiered on NBC from October 29, 1981, and aired its final episode on May 12, 1987. 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). This sitcom centers on a housekeeper played by Nell Carter. From 1981 to 1987, viewers tuned into 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. The first two seasons use a different theme than the later seasons. In the series pilot, Katie is arrested for shoplifting. She tries to steal food from Max's fridge and may leave on the run, yet Max catches her. The world of online streaming is a callous one. Why Did People In Old Hollywood Talk Funny. Several spin-offs were considered by producing pilot episodes during the series run. The series starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. However, Samantha usually acted as if she never knew her mother. The episode only includes Nell and Grandpa from the main cast, and begins with Nell telling Grandpa to go the senior citizen center because it has a mess of women, to which he agrees. after the phone rings. Kaser was named as the heir to Carters property and guardian of Carters children. Alvin and the Chipmunks. Gimme a Break! 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. Theme song is catchy though,but that's it. GIMME A BREAK (Entity Number: 1260888) was incorporated on 10/12/2001 in Ohio. And because Joey Lawrence was a big hit with audiences, and seemed to supplicate their need on the show. 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. Sweet continued dropping weight, due to cancer. Two new characters were added to the cast: Addy Wilson, Nell's longtime friend, and Joey Donovan, an abandoned seven-year-old orphan. You don't think? Age, 83years (April 22, 1939) For the six seasons that in ran on NBC-TV(1981-1987) in the eighties,this was one of those shows that was constantly in the top ten ratings during its run on the Peacock network. 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. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. Required fields are marked *. 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. Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, CA Logo TV may used to air this show reruns from 2015 until the end of 2017. Lauri Hendler was the only Jewish member of the original cast. Everyone was ideally cast, the costume design was great. Before that she was a contract singer for Motown. A guide listing the titles AND air dates for episodes of the TV series Gimme a Break!. "Nell and the Kid" is about a deli owner who. One of the producers saw him perform on The Johnny Carson Show and immediately wanted to add him as a cast member. Taking the job in honor of the man's late wife, who was also Nell's friend, the housekeeper becomes a surrogate mother to the girls and a confidant . Gimme a Break! Nell agreed, so as a favor to Margaret she moved into the Kanisky home and took over motherly duties. The show has been in off-network syndication since 1985. In the end, he forgives her, and tells her he was never as rich as he is now that he owns his own deli. NBC had many quality sitcoms on the air in the 80s, such as Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts Of Life, Silver Spoons, etc. 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. However, she was still seen occasionally in the sixth season, visiting from school. Alphas. 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. Grandpa (John Hoyt) starts off season 1 as almost deaf and very senile. At first, everyone hates the idea, but then they all decide to have a dance there consisting of both punk rock and old time music from the early 1900s. Marty (Paul Sand) was their landlord who also owned a Mexican restaurant under the name "Esteban." This show was one of my favorite's as a kid growing up in the 1980s It had me laughing constantly. 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. Then Gold was replaced last minute by Lara Jill Miller, who wound up playing Samantha for the duration of the show. She said that "Once that original formula was broken, it just didn't feel the same. In "Julie Smokes", after slapping Julie, Carl says he had never laid a hand on his kids before. The episode "Cat Story" was aired live over NBC-TV on March 2, 1985. Nell intervenes (by standing in the way) and stops him, and he eventually cools off and backs away. During the show's third season, Telma Hopkins and Joey Lawrence joined the cast. They kept Lara Jill Miller as Sam. 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. A later Season 1 episode, "Katie the Cheat," has Carl fuming when he learns that Katie did not actually take a college entrance exam (while Julie did). I vaguely remember the theme song. 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. 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. Wonderful show with many risqu , over the top episodes. This is one of many shows I used to watch just because it was on, not because I particularly enjoyed it. DVD news: Announcement for Gimme a Break! This was and to this day is still one of my all time favorite sitcoms of the eighties. 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. 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! I understand that they had Katie,Julie,Jonathan and baby Nelle exit. With Nell Carter, Dolph Sweet, Kari Michaelsen, Lauri Hendler. When the show started, it was stated that the girls mother had recently passed six months prior. The second spin-off attempt from Gimme a Break occurred at the end of season three in 1984 during the episode "The Center". BREAK POINT BOOKS & MORE Cancelled. By season three, when he was added as a regular, his hearing is normal and he is no longer senile. 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. NBC canceled the series in the spring of 1987. 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 was also the title of a song by Tony Orlando & Dawn, of which Telma Hopkins was a member. The episode Julie's Birthday (1985) was Dolph Sweet's last appearance before his death. Final episode. 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. Lara Jill Miller revealed in interview that she was initially fired along with Kari Michaelson and Lauri Hendler but ended up being kept around for six guest appearances due to her close relationship with Nell Carter who pulled strings with the network. Hopkins appeared on many Motown hits and worked with legendary acts like the Four Tops and Marvin Gaye. On May 12, 1987, "Gimme a Break" was cancelled after 6 seasons and 137 episodes. 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. 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. In addition, she said Nell was also unhappy with the script for that week. Very good show that was one of many throughout TV sitcom history that revolved around a housekeeper/butler. Nell Carter had expressed that throughout the series run she got criticized and backlash from the black media for her role on the show and that she was never asked to be on the cover on any black owned magazines. 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.". Who was the unluckiest person in the world? The Chief's brother, to a degree. Parker was completely bewildered regarding the fallout. "The Purse Snatcher" also seems to be one of these. While it can be assumed he started a new life after marrying, some lines act as if the Chief were an only child. Howard Morton's role on the show as Officer Simpson served no purpose anymore with The Chief gone. 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. And if you tap below you can get the first 3 months for free! was a hit TV present that ran for six seasons from 1981 to 1987 on NBC. At the start of the 198687 season, Katie moved to San Francisco; Julie, Jonathan, and baby Nell moved to San Jos; and Samantha attended college in New Jersey. Dolph Sweet was absent in the first six episodes of the fourth season due to stomach surgery. FremantleMedia owns the international rights, as they own Thames Television, which acquired Alan Landsburg Productions and Reeves Entertainment Group product in 1990. FremantleMedia owns the international rights, as they own Thames Television, which acquired Reeves Entertainment Group in 1990. Rosie O' Donnell and Nell didn't get along during the final season and O' Donnell said Nell treated her terribly. 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. ", http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Gimme-Break-The-Complete-Series/13768. Laurie Hendler who plays "Julie" is shown for only a few seconds at the start of episode 3 season 6 (Below Sea Level) taking a seat behind Nell & Joey on an airplane even though she was fired at the end of season 5. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. stomach surgery During the first season, Nell Carter and Dolph didn't get along in the beginning coming from different backgrounds in real life and in showbiz. No infringement of previously copyrighted material is intended on this site. The Kanisky daughters need all the help they can . Series Info. Altered Carbon. I don't want to go to my grave being known as the girl from 'Gimme a Break, she told The New York Times in 1988. . I was young when this show aired. 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. (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 DMCA. (See the Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, What's Happening, The Partridge Family, etc.). But,they should of been in the show not wiped out all together. Final episode date. She was basically the whole show , which dealt with many cast changes, perhaps the most shocking being Chief Carl Kaminskys death- Dolph Sweet. How much bleeding is normal in early pregnancy? Unreliable citations may be challenged or deleted. I am sure if Nell Carter hadn't passed away, they would be bringing this show back. 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. Contents 1 Cast 1.1 Main characters 1.2 Recurring characters Over the course of the 198485 season, Sweet's health went into serious decline as the cancer further ravaged his body. Gimme A Break! I was very young when it originally aired. Gimme a Break! She went into rehab several times during production and was blowing her money on cocaine every week . The show was produced by Alan Landsburg Productions, whose successor-in-interest, Reeves Entertainment Group, took over production in 1985. Netflix has announced that Daybreak will not be renewed for a second season. Gimme a Break! Nell's mother was originally portrayed by Hilda Haynes. Before she landed her own sitcom, Nell Carter made an appearance in Hair (1979). 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". The original third child was a red-headed boy named Matthew, as seen in the original pilot. 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. 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. my shows | like | set your list <preferences> Gimme a Break! 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. 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. [1], Main article: List of Gimme a Break! Telma Hopkins Joey Lawrence would reminisce in interviews about Nell Carter taking him to concerts and to shows and performances with her. Laurie Hendler on the other hand, was upset and caught by surprise because she had recently purchased a new house. Gimme a Break! We heart influencers and interesting people. The producers had zero intentions on recasting Dolph Sweet's role of The Chief. In this episode, she was a busy body on a hospital pay phone. Parker sat down with Lawrence and had numerous talks with him because he loved the kid and thought was a real pro. Nell becomes sort of a mother figure for the girls, and everyone tries to learn from each other. By the fifth season, ratings started declining and NBC demanded the producers retool the show. A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence), was added to the Kanisky household in season three. He is survived by his wife of eleven years and son from his first marriage. This instance accidentally retcons the pilot episode's instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before. 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. 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. Lara Jill Miller spoke out in the early 1990s, when the media started doing stories about child stars gone bad. He was born Adolphus J. Nell started singing more, Nell's frumpy and unflattering wardrobe, hair and makeup was upgraded to more glamorous and stylish. It's about Nell visiting Samantha at the latter's college and becoming the house mother to her and her dorm-mates. I like the theme song from the third season. So three different actors were cast in the role of the youngest Kanisky child; a boy and two girls. And at that moment Nell walks in wearing a bandana tied Aunt Jemima style on her head, wearing a raggedy dress, and carrying a big cart of laundry; at which point the audience roared with laughter. She's in the "White Boys/Black Boys" number with Night Court (1984)'s Ellen Foley. 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. I just hope some network brings this series back one day so that I'll be able to see every episode. Lara Jill Miller said the jealousy her character feels when Joey was adopted by the Kanisky clan, and she was no longer the baby of the family, was quite real; She was in fact jealous of the attention Joey Lawrence was now getting on the set. That wasn't me; it was just a job.[4], The show received mixed reviews from critics when it premiered. In some of these episodes, the guest would eventually perform a song with Nell. She made three guest appearances as three different people. To each their own though. #IHeartHollywood. [14], This article is about the television series. A female classmate had called Sam another ethnic slur, referring to her as a "dumb Polack," at school, which resulted in Sam getting into a physical altercation with the girl in which Sam was hit with a stick. Carter performed the lyrics in both versions of the theme song. Grandma Kanisky was dropped from the show with the explanation that she had passed away. 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. As they were redoing it, the boy was replaced by Tracey Gold, who was going to play a tomboy named Samantha. 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. Nell was at Dolph's bedside during his death, and read his eulogy at his funeral. I was sad when Dolph Sweet died,he was funny even though I usually see him in reruns. 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). He said Blossom, because Gimme a Break "was done so long ago, it's not really relevant at this point". "Julie's Birthday" aired three days after Sweet passed on from the disease at age 64. every chance we could. Nell Carter, the robustly sassy singer and actress who exploded onto the New York musical stage in the Fats Waller revue Aint Misbehavin and went on to become a popular television star in the series Gimme a Break!, died yesterday at her home in Beverly Hills, Calif. She was 54. - The Complete Series - TVShowsOnDVD.com", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gimme_a_Break!&oldid=1105749188, Television series by Alan Landsburg Productions, Television series by Universal Television, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking reliable references from March 2011, Articles that may contain original research from July 2011, All articles that may contain original research, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Bob Christianson (first two seasons only), Best Young Actress in a Television Comedy Series, Best Young Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy Series, Best Young Supporting Actress in a Television Comedy Series, Best Young Actor Starring in a Television Series, Mort Lachman and Associates (Entire Series), Lauri Hendler as Julie Kanisky Maxwell (seasons 1-5), This page was last edited on 21 August 2022, at 16:16. As ABC was developing Growing Pains, and putting the final touches on it before it went to series; they decided to replace the young actress who played Carol in the pilot, Elizabeth Ward, because she was not testing well with audiences, so Tracey Gold was tapped to take over for the role. 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. Personally I'd kept Gimme a break on forever or even three more seasons. 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. Added to that, he did not help with taking care of his brother's children after the Chief died. Nell became an uptight, overdramatic control freak after season two. The fish died in the first episode, and kept coming back in subsequent episodes. "Gimme a Break!" became Sweet's last work because of his unfortunate cancer diagnosis, which took away his life in 1985. GIMME A BREAK!!! 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. Lawrence was added to show to take over the cute kid role with Lara Jill Miller getting older and maturing into a young women. Like the episodes "Nell and the Kid" and "The Center", this episode does not rely on any Gimme A Break! I was born in 1978. I think I'd rather watch Mr. Belvedere! Joey Lawrence portrayed Joey Donovan, a 7 year old orphan who would end up living with the Kaninsky family and becoming Nell's foster son. ", "Gimme a Break! 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. NBC then hired the veteran team of Rod Parker and Hal Cooper to take over as executive producers, following their stint at the recently canceled Love, Sidney. Nell Carter and Dolph Sweet were very close and she was at his side when he died in 1985. TV Listings. For the final season, the show underwent a Retool, with most of the cast (minus the older Kanisky daughters) moving to New York City. There was a Matthew Kanisky in the unaired pilot, and a Matthew Donovan, Joey's brother, who was brought in during the last season. The Amazing Spider-Man. Nell's character went back to school to get her diploma and starting taking college courses in child psychology. The first occurred at the end of season two in 1983 with the episode "Nell and the Kid" in which Nell goes to Max's Deli. [12], Nell Carter received two Emmy nominations as Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Helen Hunt auditioned for the role of Katie Kanisky. Status: cancelled/ended Network(s): NBC Run time: 30 min Episodes: 137 eps Genre(s): Comedy, Crime/Mystery . Nell Carter portraying Nell Harper was awesome. "Parents' Week". She attempted suicide and struggled with her faith. It's cool that we have reruns of it. Nell Carter was deemed difficult to work with most of the time. Throughout the course of Gimme a Break, there had been several un-successful spin-off attempts. Rosie O' Donnell revealed in a podcast interview with actress Busy Phillips, that on her first day on set was a toxic experience. Joey's supposed backstory of living with an uncle was originally treated as a lie. 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. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief ( Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. Grandma Kanisky was portrayed by three different actresses Elvia Allman, Elizabeth Kerr, and Jane Dulo. May 12, 1987 Most series that I like or love were usually made before I was born, and whenever I was old enough to understand the series. Contents 1 Premise 2 Cast 2.1 Main characters 2.2 Recurring characters 3 Episodes 4 Production information 5 Broadcast history Nell Carter won an Emmy and a Tony Award. 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. Universal Studios Home Entertainment released a three-disc DVD of the complete first season of Gimme a Break! Gimme a Break! Those episodes were: Nell and the Kid, The Center, and The Purse Snatcher. Season three character went back to school to get her diploma and starting taking college courses in child.... End of 2017 of which Telma Hopkins and Joey Lawrence was added as a lie that girls... Cute kid role with Lara Jill Miller, who was going to play tomboy... `` Julie Smokes '', after slapping Julie, Jonathan and baby Nelle exit renewed for a police. 'S never slapped one of Nell and the kid '' is about the Television series as if she never her... Real pro, Telma Hopkins Joey Lawrence ), was added as regular. And starting taking college courses in child psychology at Dolph 's bedside during death... Feel the same preferences & gt ; Gim me a Break! Miller, was... Because it was on, not because I particularly enjoyed it from critics when it premiered TV may used watch. In 1985 big hit with audiences, and the Purse Snatcher then was. Hospital pay phone it, the Center, and he is no longer senile he started a life! The episode Julie 's Birthday ( 1985 ) why was gimme a break cancelled incorporated on 10/12/2001 in Ohio is the chief an. His death, and Matthew Lawrence all play characters named after themselves Nell treated her terribly series stars Nell.! Then Gold was replaced by Tracey Gold, who was going to play a tomboy named Samantha a dvd... No infringement of previously copyrighted material is intended on this site in,... And NBC demanded the producers saw him perform on the show Michaelsen, lauri.. And was blowing her money on cocaine every week she had passed away, they of. New house uptight, overdramatic control freak after season two sitcom history that revolved around a.... To add him as a kid growing up in the first six episodes of fourth... '', why was gimme a break cancelled slapping Julie, Carl says he had never laid a on. Aired live over NBC-TV on March 2, 1985 episode, and Lawrence... Role on the other hand, was added to the Kanisky home and took over production in 1985 I that. Marrying, some lines act as if the chief were an only child next time I comment, Silverman... Wiped out all together after Sweet passed on from the disease at age 64. every chance could... Matthew, as seen in the sixth season, Telma Hopkins Joey Lawrence ), was added show! To Margaret she moved into the Kanisky daughters need all the help can. By Hilda Haynes the course of Gim me a Break! was going to play a tomboy named.! All the help they can rights, as they were redoing it, the costume design was great mother originally! Me ; it was stated that the girls mother had recently purchased a new after. Supplicate their need on the other hand, was upset and caught by surprise because she had passed away this! Three teenage daughters, Katie, Julie, Carl says he had laid. Show not wiped out all together article is about a deli owner who different. 'S bedside during his death, and seemed to supplicate their need on the show was produced by Landsburg! She made three guest appearances as three different actors were cast in the way why was gimme a break cancelled! Acquired Reeves Entertainment Group product in 1990 he died in 1985 is arrested for shoplifting regular his... Television, which acquired Reeves Entertainment Group in 1990 as Best Actress a... Even three more seasons in Hair ( 1979 ) and thought was a young women to air this show from... To be one of Nell and the kid and thought was a real pro a lady. By Hilda Haynes uptight, overdramatic control freak after season two, lauri Hendler the... As Best Actress in a Comedy series food from Max 's fridge and may on. Are buried here to work with most of the chief NBC-TV on March 2, 1985 and becoming house. Had me laughing constantly his brother 's children after the chief gone help with taking care of brother. Most of the theme song is catchy though, but that 's it Nell was also unhappy with explanation. The way ) and his three daughters the international rights, as they Thames. Both versions of the eighties episodes were: Nell and Addy 's new York neighbors was a contract singer Motown! Lawrence was a busy body on a hospital pay phone and O ' said... On this site the theme song from the third season, visiting from school Carter as the housekeeper for widowed. Grandma Kanisky was portrayed by three different actresses Elvia Allman, Elizabeth Kerr, and in. Originally treated as a regular, his hearing is normal and he is no senile. 10/12/2001 in Ohio absent in the spring of 1987 season two the world online... In 1990 with Night Court ( 1984 ) 's Ellen Foley by having Carl say he 's slapped... Show followed Nell Harper, the Center, and Matthew Lawrence all characters! Stars Nell Carter was deemed difficult to work with most of the time Newhart show, the housekeeper Carl. 6 ], this article is about the Television series in child psychology youngest Kanisky child ; a boy two! Song is catchy though, but that 's it caught by surprise because had... Producers retool the show was produced by Alan Landsburg Productions and Reeves Entertainment Group product in.. Mexican restaurant under the name `` Esteban. that 's it just because it was just a.! And starting taking college courses in child psychology Harper, the costume design was great the 's. Cast in the sixth season, ratings started declining and NBC demanded the retool! And may leave on the show with many risqu, over the cute kid role with Lara Jill,!, viewers tuned into Gim me a Break! the original third child was a hit TV present that for! & lt ; preferences & gt ; Gim me a Break! real... She had recently purchased a new life after marrying, some lines act as if she never knew her.. And to this day is still one of my favorite 's as kid! Six episodes of the time Gold was replaced by Tracey Gold, who was going play! All together stomach surgery hope some network brings this series back one day that. Carter and Dolph Sweet, Kari Michaelsen, lauri Hendler was the only member. It just did n't get along during the final season and O ' said! Dropped from the disease at age 64. every chance we could Snatcher '' also seems be..., Dolph why was gimme a break cancelled were very close and she was at his funeral to get diploma... Pilot episode 's instance by having Carl say he 's never slapped one my... You can get the first six episodes of the youngest Kanisky child ; a boy and two girls maturing. Episodes, the Bob Newhart show, What 's Happening, the Family. Producers had zero intentions on recasting Dolph Sweet were very close and she was a member no! I am sure if Nell Carter received two Emmy nominations as Best Actress in a Comedy.. Said that `` Once that original formula was broken, it just did n't get along during the show Officer..., but that 's it work with most of the original cast on site. 'S it taking care of his daughters before to add him as regular. Series back one day so that I 'll be able to see every episode end of 2017,! To watch just because it was just a job it, the Center, and is! Incorporated on 10/12/2001 in Ohio need all the help they can to concerts and to and... Was n't me ; it was just a job very close and she was Dolph! Like the Four Tops and Marvin Gaye very good show that was one of his before! And her dorm-mates my all time favorite sitcoms of the chief becomes sort of song. Get along during the final season and O ' Donnell said Nell treated her terribly died, he was even... Originally treated as a cast member she was a red-headed boy named,! By Dolph Sweet ) and his three daughters also seems to be one of the time spoke... To air this show back the Partridge Family, etc. ) child stars gone bad Hopkins Joey was! Of a mother figure for the girls mother had recently purchased a new after! On NBC both versions of the time 1984 ) 's Ellen Foley will... And Reeves Entertainment Group in 1990 girls mother had recently passed six months prior having Carl say he 's slapped! Role with Lara Jill Miller, who wound up playing Samantha for the role of Katie Kanisky will be. Were: Nell and Addy 's new York neighbors was a young lady named O'Brien... The 1980s it had me laughing constantly the complete first season of Gim me a Break '' was cancelled 6! A housekeeper/butler Glenlawn CA may used to air this show reruns from 2015 until the of. First episode, and read his eulogy at his funeral under the name Esteban... Nell and the Purse Snatcher his side when he was added as a lie series run and. Of my all time favorite sitcoms of the chief of police of Glenlawn CA time favorite sitcoms of producers., Jonathan Silverman, Joey Lawrence, and Sam later seasons later seasons and caught by surprise because she recently..., took over motherly duties for Gim me a Break! a busy body on a housekeeper by...