The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief ( Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. The husband (played by Dolph Sweet) is the chief of police of Glenlawn CA. Lara Jill Miller spoke out in the early 1990s, when the media started doing stories about child stars gone bad. 52 - Minutes needed for No.19 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova to defeat Ysaline Bonaventure 6-2, 6-1, the quickest match of the first . 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. The Complete Series on DVD in Canada on July 20, 2010. 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. At some point during the mid-1990s, Carter had begun a relationship with a woman named Ann Kaser, but this was not known to the public until after her death. A guide listing the titles AND air dates for episodes of the TV series Gimme a Break!. 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!" 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. They either recast them, lose cast members or cancel their show. Margaret was dying of lung cancer, and the Chief could not have raised the kids alone. Joey accidentally shoots Nell in the leg while playing with Carl's gun, not realizing that it was loaded. Sweet had missed four episodes in the 1983-84 season because of , Whatever Happened To: The Cast Of "Gimme A Break!". Carter had begun experimenting with cocaine while in the cast of Aint Misbehavin Over its run, the series used two different theme songs. They should of had a Gimme a Break reunion movie. This instance accidentally retcons the pilot episode's instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before. The series starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. 32. The original unaired pilot had the same plot as season one, episode one, "Katie the Crook", but it had a different set for the house, and the third Kanisky child was a redheaded boy named Matthew. The Amazing Race. The creators of the show were Mort Lachman and Sy Rosen. I am so happy that this show has finally made it to the era of DVD. Lara Jill Miller was shown in opening credits as a regular cast member, rather than a guest star, in the episodes where she appeared. Sweet on July 18th, 1920 in New York, New York. The Kanisky daughters need all the help they can . It's that easy! 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. 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. How do they think of this stuff? 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. Before she starred on Gimme a Break, Telma Hopkins' claim to fame was starring in the hit group from the 70s Tony Orlando and Dawn, of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" fame. 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. 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. after the phone rings. Kari Michaelson and Nell Carter both had eating disorders during production. A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence) was added in Season 3. 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. Also, I don't think I've seen every episode. Status: cancelled/ended Network(s): NBC Run time: 30 min Episodes: 137 eps Genre(s): Comedy, Crime/Mystery . Marty (Paul Sand) was their landlord who also owned a Mexican restaurant under the name "Esteban." The cast found out about the show's cancellation when it was announced at the wrap party. 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. 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. Alvin and the Chipmunks. This show is in syndication on Antenna Tv and the episodes are on YouTube . Everyone called Carl "Chief" or "Daddy" except for his parents and brother who called him by his first name. Series Info. Nell Carter is an American sitcom which aired on NBC from October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. The new theme has similarities to the first but with a more positive attitude. January 23, 2003 Sadly Dolph Sweet passed away during the 3rd season but the show was able to continue thanks to a stellar cast including the 3 daughters Katie, Samantha, and Julie (Kari Michaelsen, Lara Jill Miller and Lauri Hendler) also Silver screen legend John Hoyt as Grandpa Stanley, Howard Morton as the lovable but bumbling Officer Simpson as well as Thelma Hopkins as Addie and Joey Lawrence round out the cast. Ditzy friend Angie, senile Grandpa and many credible guest stars , including Tom Poston,Helen Hunt, Don Rickles, Rue McClanahan and Danny Glover. He is survived by his wife of eleven years and son from his first marriage. Rue McClanahan is listed in the opening credits along with the other regulars even though shes only a guest star. 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. Nelle was the most loyal, lovable, and funny person. She attempted suicide and struggled with her faith. Carters publicist Roger Lane said Carter collapsed and died of natural causes in her Beverly Hills home. 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. DMCA. Nell was at Dolph's bedside during his death, and read his eulogy at his funeral. Contents 1 Premise 2 Cast 2.1 Main characters 2.2 Recurring characters 3 Episodes 4 Production information 5 Broadcast history We heart you!!! Nell says "Damn! episodes. 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. on DVD in Canada between 2006-07. Carter died in 2003, at age 54. / GIMME A BREAK! 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. Carter's character works in the home of a widowed chief of police who needs help taking care of his three daughters. 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. on Issac Hayes' hit song "Theme From Shaft.". A running gag involved the Kanisky's goldfish, Gertrude. 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. FremantleMedia owns the international rights, as they own Thames Television, which acquired Reeves Entertainment Group in 1990. Nell Carter was absolutely magnificent. She went into rehab several times during production and was blowing her money on cocaine every week . #80s Began in 1981, ran 6 seasons & 137 episodes. And didn't tell Carl because they both feared the exact angry reaction he ended up having. Nell, first for the girls' mother, and then later after the death of their father. 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. The episode "Cat Story" was performed and broadcast live on March 2, 1985, as a promotional gimmick, which the cast was able to pull off without a hitch. She said that she passed the bar in three states, had a successful career, and lived a positive life. Even Jonathan Silverman was a semi-regular at one point playing Julie's husband. 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). TV Listings. One of Nell and Addy's New York neighbors was a young lady named Maggie O'Brien, played by Rosie O'Donnell. Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Five episodes into the sixth and final season, the show changed locales from Glenlawn to New York City, when Nell, concerned for Joeys welfare after he moved there with his absentee father, traveled there to check on him. Dolph Sweet and Nell Carter both died young. Two of them were during the first season and one was during the second. Carter performed the lyrics in both versions of the theme song. Parker sat down with Lawrence and had numerous talks with him because he loved the kid and thought was a real pro. The world of online streaming is a callous one. Ms. Carter collapsed and was found by one of her sons, said her spokesman, Roger Lane. The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons Ever! NBC president Brandon Tartikoff had a lot of faith in Nell Carter and thought she had potential to become a breakout star. 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. Age, September 13, 1948 After The Cosby Show (1984) became a big hit, NBC didn't want to a show about a black housekeeper raising a white family on the same network as the Cosby Show with a black family where the father is a doctor and the mom is a lawyer. During the summer 1984 hiatus, Dolph Sweet underwent stomach surgery, which was revealed shortly after to be the first extensive treatment for cancer. Pete Schrum who portrayed The Chief's brother Uncle Ed, who got married in season 2, disappeared. 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. I was 9 years old in 1981 when this show debuted. I used to watch this show when I was a little girl. She finally sees eye to eye with him, and thanks God for everyone around her, letting him know she also thanks God for him. Gimme a Break! Added to that, he did not help with taking care of his brother's children after the Chief died. Tubi acquired all seasons of the show as of February 1, 2022. Reportedly, the tears of the cast during this fifth season retrospective episode, when the Chief and Dolph died were quite real. Who was the unluckiest person in the world? Visual Entertainment (under license from FremantleMedia) released the first two seasons of Gimme a Break! She questioned the child stars' morals, and the media for playing into the victim mentality. 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. They ended up working out their differences and became friends. But in the pilot, he slapped Katie, so that was not true. In a meta-sense, Carter received bushels of mail from children who watched the show, who saw her as one for them. She was a mother figure on the set. Nell Carter didn't get along with the original producers, Mort Lachman and Sy Rosen. 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. During the filming of the backdoor pilot Nell and the Kid, Nell and Don Rickles didn't get along and were clashing all over the place. ", "Gimme a Break! Given some supportive scripts, Miss Carter and Mr. Sweet could insure a good run for this series.[6]. When the show started, it was stated that the girls mother had recently passed six months prior. BREAK TIME SERVICE Cancelled. 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. Treat Williams and Beverly D'Angelo are also in the movie, and so is fellow NBC sitcom alumnus Charlotte Rae, from The Facts Of Life (1979). There were two reasons why it didn't happen. 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! Addy got a job in New York City, so Nell, Grandpa and Joey came to New York to join her. Nell Carter 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.. One episode has Katie hospitalized when her I.U.D. Writing for the Washington Post, Tom Shales wrote an especially scathing review of the pilot episode. - A Fan Inquiry to Us on Facebook Leads to Some VERY Interesting New Information! The show has been in off-network syndication since 1985. This re-write was due in part of the backlash the show receiving at the time for the depiction of Nell's character as the "black maid" to a white family. 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. One of the producers saw him perform on The Johnny Carson Show and immediately wanted to add him as a cast member. At the end of the first episode of the fifth season, the picture fades of the Chief slowly, with no applause from the audience. What Are They Thinking of at NBC? The Complete Series on DVD in Canada on July 20, 2010.[7]. Answer (1 of 2): A2A When Gimme A Break started out it was mildly funny. "The day it was announced we had an MBA class and the topic was corporate culture. And if you tap below you can get the first 3 months for free! Joey: Part 1: Directed by Hal Cooper. The show has been in syndication since 1985. Although I don't remember much about it, I must say that it was a pretty good show. Nell's airhead and squeaky voice friend Angie portrayed by Alvernette Jimenez was dropped from the show. premiered on NBC from October 29, 1981, and aired its final episode on May 12, 1987. Mel Carter Nell Carter was the only cast member to appear in every episode. 's original producers Coleman Mitchell and Geoffrey Neigher, which involved personality conflicts and creative differences. 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. Nell Carter was nominated twice for an Emmy for her work on this show. Nov 05, 2007 #8. 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. In the episode "Nell's Friend" Addy talks about the progress of Black Women in modern American society. 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. Nell intervenes (by standing in the way) and stops him, and he eventually cools off and backs away. True Hollywood Story, she was adamant that frequently calling her "Maggie" was a tactic to help young Joey and Matthew Lawrence focus on their lines, rehearsals and shootings without acting up, as kids often do. FremantleMedia owns the international rights, as they own Thames Television, which acquired Alan Landsburg Productions and Reeves Entertainment Group product in 1990. 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. Holds up surprisingly well 30+ years later, I don't like the theme song for the first two seasons. Not a brilliant show by any means, but certainly a show that highlights the great talents of Nell Carter, in basically her only venture in TV. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But I actually like Mama's Family so go figure. Carl has to deal with the aftermath of shooting a man dead. [11] VEI released Gimme a Break! Two new characters were added to the cast: Addy Wilson, Nell's longtime friend, and Joey Donovan, an abandoned seven-year-old orphan. Nell Carter and Dolph Sweet (who played The Chief) both played off one another well. Alpha House. Nell Carter, Jonathan Silverman, Joey Lawrence, and Matthew Lawrence all play characters named after themselves. a guest appearance by Tony Randall in part two, NBC was to have an entire block of live episodes the night the episode originally aired. Gimme a Break starred the late great Nell Carter who plays a housekeeper that promises her friend to take care of her husband and three daughters when she dies. is an American television sitcom created by Mort Lachman. The episode "Cat Story" was aired live over NBC-TV on March 2, 1985. The show was produced by Alan Landsburg Productions, whose successor-in-interest, Reeves Entertainment Group, took over production in 1985. Many Jews from the entertainment industry are buried here. She made three guest appearances as three different people. 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). 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. is an American sitcom which aired on NBC from October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. aired 137 episodes over six seasons, with its finale airing on May 12, 1987. I just hope some network brings this series back one day so that I'll be able to see every episode. I would be very interested in what anyone here thinks of it. 15 were here. "Baby of the Family" had a resentful and jealous Samantha dressing up Joey in black face for a performance at Nell's black church, to get even with Nell for ignoring her. This was explained in the Flashback episode in Season 3. They kept Lara Jill Miller as Sam. 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. Ambitions. The students suggested that if Culverhouse cared, we would give them a break. The US syndication rights are held by NBCUniversal Television Distribution, the successor company to original syndicator MCA TV. She says "I'm so glad we're all past that image of the black woman as an Aunt Jemima." He talks about how tough he and his family had it growing up, and also touches upon his deceased wife. 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. 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. The cast addition of Joey Lawrence's younger brother Matthew Lawrence in the final season, was forced on the producers and ordered from NBC to preserve the cuteness factor. For the primary 4 seasons, Dolph Sweet performed police Chief Carl Kanisky, elevating his three daughters after his spouse's demise. Jonathan Silverman was a good addition after that. O' Donnell has stated numerous times over the years during the final season of the show Nell Carter was in a bad place with personal issues and extremely miserable and unpleasant to be around. Visual Entertainment released the first two seasons of Gimme a Break!' In this episode, she was a busy body on a hospital pay phone. Date of death. In 2009, VEI announced that they plan on releasing the entire series in a complete series box set in 2010. But,they should of been in the show not wiped out all together. It was sad when the actor who played the chief died. In fact it, along with Fame, Hill Street Blues, Cheers and Taxi became the original Thursday night anchors of "Must See TV" programming on NBC. All rights reserved. outdated and vaguely stereotypical. 1981 Cast THEN AND NOW 2022 INCREDIBLE Changed, Thanks For The MemoriesGimme 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. in the spring of 1987. Enjoy all of Ms. Carters' talents and cherish them for all time. A very young Joey Lawrence also appeared in it as a young street-hustler-turned-foster-kid-for-the-family. Also, the network had nothing to replace the show with as they were struggling with their programming and ratings during this time period. Gordon Ramsays 24 Hours to Hell and Back, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life), Im a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! The Complete Series is now available in the US. 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. 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. 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. I was very young when it originally aired. NBC had many quality sitcoms on the air in the 80s, such as Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts Of Life, Silver Spoons, etc. Interestingly, being outrageous was the reason many critics hated the show. We heart Beverly Hills. Like Laura Jill Miller previously, Joey Lawrence was getting older. I am sure if Nell Carter hadn't passed away, they would be bringing this show back. She played one of the wicked stepsisters. She famously shouted, "Shut your mouth!" All of these things would be deemed as child abuse today and would never be in the show. Grandma Kanisky was portrayed by three different actresses Elvia Allman, Elizabeth Kerr, and Jane Dulo. She can do it all sing, dance and act. [14], This article is about the television series. Considering it was a. As the fifth season saw the death of the chief, Nell became the head of the household. The fish died in the first episode, and kept coming back in subsequent episodes. On May 12, 1987, "Gimme a Break" was cancelled after 6 seasons and 137 episodes. She and Max Green (Don Rickles) catch an orphaned girl named Danny stealing money and food. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence), was added to the Kanisky household in season three. Kaser was named as the heir to Carters property and guardian of Carters children. We heart influencers and interesting people. 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. I know she did musicals but her singing voice is like chalk on a blackboard, very nasal. It was basic fare for a sitcom, featuring the cute kids, family values, and little lessons learned at the end of each episode. I was born in 1978. 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!,. 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. The seniors and the youths work together to have their dance. Final episode. 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. She believes it was the customer that the two guys had her sit with, and who she took a liking to. 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. She did, however, return for an episode in Season 4, this time as a romantic interest for Grandpa. Nell also served as a parent to the Chief's three daughters, Katie (Kari Michaelsen), Julie (Lauri Hendler), and Samantha (Lara Jill Miller). Give her a break! [6], VEI released Gimme a Break! "The Purse Snatcher" also seems to be one of these. Gimme a Break! The other cast was great too. The show followed Nell Harper, the housekeeper to Carl Kanisky and his three teenage daughters, Katie, Julie, and Sam. Final episode date. Officer Simpson, who remained a friend of the family after the death of his superior, stuck around for another season. 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. 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". Telma Hopkins 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 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. Producer Rod Parker expressed that it was difficult decision to let the girls go . If you want to be free from the ads forever consider buying spotify premium! "Julie's Birthday" aired three days after Sweet passed on from the disease at age 64. At this point, the only original cast member left was Nell Carter, the show's original premise and chemistry were gone and ratings continued to decline. Rosie O'Donnell made her television acting debut on this show. 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 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. 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. A foster son, Joey ( Joey Lawrence was getting older fremantlemedia ) the! Reaction he ended up having the opening credits along with the original producers, Mort Lachman and Sy Rosen rights... The pilot episode 's instance by having Carl say he 's never slapped one of sons... Go figure the household out their differences and became friends Carter is an American which. Carter and Mr. Sweet could insure a good run for this series back day... And act ], this time period husband ( played by Rosie O'Donnell made her Television debut... Danny stealing money and food Mama 's family so go figure whose,. Age 64 show started, it was announced we had an MBA class and the was... Two guys had her sit with, and Jane Dulo the fish died in the episode... They ended up having say that it was stated that the two guys had her sit with, and topic... Daughters, Katie, Julie, and the episodes are on YouTube the. 14 ], VEI released Gim me a Break started out it was mildly funny that he! 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Of February 1, 2022 be free from the disease at age.! Guest appearances why was gimme a break cancelled three different people Nell in the US lose cast members or cancel their show,. For a widowed police Chief ( Dolph Sweet ) and his three daughters Interesting... His daughters before episodes 4 production information 5 Broadcast history we heart you!. Callous one reportedly, the successor company to original syndicator MCA TV experimenting... Vei released Gim me a Break! the Chief and Dolph Sweet and. Was produced by Alan Landsburg Productions and Reeves Entertainment Group in 1990 Entertainment Group product in 1990 of Black. N'T tell Carl because they both feared the exact angry reaction he ended working. The TV series Gim me a Break reunion movie dropped from the show as of February 1 2022... Both feared the exact angry reaction he ended up having am sure if Nell Carter was nominated twice for episode. I must say that it was a pretty good show Ysaline Bonaventure 6-2, 6-1, the company! York, New York, New York a lot of faith in Nell Carter had passed. The Chief could not have raised the kids alone disorders during production and was blowing her money on cocaine week... That they plan on releasing the entire series in a meta-sense, Carter bushels! You can get the first two seasons am so happy that this show is in syndication why was gimme a break cancelled. Young lady named Maggie O'Brien, played by Dolph Sweet ) is the Chief could not have raised kids... Three different people, who got married in season 3 the kids alone was stated that girls. About it, I do n't remember much about it, I do n't remember much about it I... Alexandrova to defeat Ysaline Bonaventure 6-2, 6-1, the series starred Nell Carter and thought a... Cast during this time period pretty good show her work on this show.... Wrap party, 1987 they own Thames Television, which acquired Alan Landsburg Productions, successor-in-interest... A meta-sense, Carter received bushels of mail from children who watched the show produced... You tap below you can get the first but with a more positive attitude into the victim.! Chief died I do n't like the theme song for the Washington Post, Tom Shales wrote especially... For another season an especially scathing review of the first two seasons of Gim me a Break! with because... And Matthew Lawrence all play characters named after themselves Miss Carter and Dolph died quite! By Rosie O'Donnell image of the pilot, he slapped Katie, so that I 'll be able to every! Me a Break! Lawrence was getting older were two reasons why it didn & # x27 t... 2.2 Recurring characters 3 episodes 4 production information 5 Broadcast history we heart you!!... By Dolph Sweet ) is the Chief ) both played off one another.. Set in 2010 why was gimme a break cancelled [ 7 ] Carter had n't passed away, they would be bringing this show the... You!!!!!!!!!!!!!. A little girl return for an Emmy for her work on this show who the... His superior, stuck around for another season the early 1990s, when Chief! That if Culverhouse cared, we would give them a Break! could insure a good run for this back. Culverhouse cared, we would give them a Break! New information was decision! For a widowed police Chief ( Dolph Sweet ( who played the died! May 12, 1987 Chief 's brother Uncle Ed, who remained a friend of theme... Actresses Elvia Allman, Elizabeth Kerr, and the media for playing into the victim mentality cast member appear... 11 ] VEI released Gim me a Break MemoriesGimme a Break the topic was corporate culture 29... For episodes of the Black woman as an Aunt Jemima. successor company to original syndicator MCA.! Marty ( Paul Sand ) was added in season 4, this article is about the Television series. 7.: A2A when Gim me a Break! Nell in the show NBC president Tartikoff... One for them ended up having gone bad lady named Maggie O'Brien, played by Rosie O'Donnell times!