Davis Rules

Last updated

Davis Rules
GenreSitcom
Created byDanny Jacobson
Norma Safford Vela
Written byKim C. Friese
Danny Jacobson
Frank Mula
Fredi Towbin
Norma Safford Vela
Directed by John Bowab
Ellen Falcon
James Widdoes
Starring Randy Quaid
Jonathan Winters
Composer Mark Mothersbaugh
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes29 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersMarcy Carsey
Danny Jacobson
Caryn Mandabach
Tom Werner
Norma Safford Vela
Douglas Wyman
ProducersDale McRaven
Frank Mula
Jon Spector
Fredi Towbin
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time22–24 minutes
Production company Carsey-Werner Productions
Original release
Network
ReleaseJanuary 27, 1991 (1991-01-27) 
May 13, 1992 (1992-05-13)

Davis Rules is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC in 1991 and on CBS in 1992. [1] The series was produced by Carsey-Werner Productions.

Contents

Synopsis

The series stars Randy Quaid as Dwight Davis, a widowed elementary school principal outside of Seattle, Washington who is raising his three sons (Robbie, Charlie, and Ben) with the help of his wacky father Gunny Davis (Jonathan Winters).

Cast

Production

Davis Rules was canceled by ABC after less than one season despite having premiered after Super Bowl XXV. ABC aired it as a midseason replacement. When the series wasn't used in ABC's fall lineup, CBS bought the series in November 1991. [2] [3]

CBS retooled the series, adding Bonnie Hunt and Giovanni Ribisi (credited as Vonni Ribisi), but canceled it after 16 episodes. [2]

Episodes

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
1 13January 27, 1991 (1991-01-27)April 9, 1991 (1991-04-09) ABC
2 16December 30, 1991 (1991-12-30)May 13, 1992 (1992-05-13) CBS

Season 1 (1991)

Every episode of season 1 was directed by Ellen Falcon. [4]

List of Davis Rules season 1 episodes
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title [4] Original air dateProd.
code [4]
Viewers
(millions)
11"A Man for All Reasons"January 27, 1991 (1991-01-27)10126.7 [5]
22"Rules of the Game"January 29, 1991 (1991-01-29)10523.6 [6]
33"The Trouble with Women"February 5, 1991 (1991-02-05)10620.8 [7]
44"Guys and Dolls"February 12, 1991 (1991-02-12)10721.1 [8]
55"Pomahac Day Massacre"February 19, 1991 (1991-02-19)10822.0 [9]
66"Yes, I'm The Great Pretender"February 26, 1991 (1991-02-26)10921.2 [10]
77"Gimme The Ball"March 5, 1991 (1991-03-05)11022.0 [11]
88"Twisted Sister"March 5, 1991 (1991-03-05)11224.5 [11]
99"Take This Job and Love It"March 12, 1991 (1991-03-12)10224.4 [12]
1010"Sign of the Times"March 19, 1991 (1991-03-19)11120.1 [13]
1111"Habla Espanol?"March 26, 1991 (1991-03-26)10321.0 [14]
1212"Mission: Improbable"April 2, 1991 (1991-04-02)11322.9 [15]
1313"Soap"April 9, 1991 (1991-04-09)10418.4 [16]

Season 2 (1991–92)

The first thirteen episodes of season 2 were directed by James Widdoes, while the final three episodes were directed by John Bowab. [4]

List of Davis Rules season 2 episodes
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title [4] Original air dateProd.
code [4]
Viewers
(millions)
141"They're Writing Songs of Love, But Nun for Me"December 30, 1991 (1991-12-30)20119.4 [17]
152"A Father Makes All the Difference"January 1, 1992 (1992-01-01)20422.2 [17]
163"Writing a Wrong"January 8, 1992 (1992-01-08)20216.9 [18]
174"The Moment of Youth"January 15, 1992 (1992-01-15)21115.3 [19]
185"Love at First Sighting (Part 1)"January 22, 1992 (1992-01-22)20714.1 [20]
196"Love at First Sighting (Part 2)"January 29, 1992 (1992-01-29)20815.9 [21]
207"Gunny's Ex"February 5, 1992 (1992-02-05)20514.8 [22]
218"Happy as a Clam"February 26, 1992 (1992-02-26)20913.4 [23]
229"Someone to Watch Over Them"March 4, 1992 (1992-03-04)21214.2 [24]
2310"Bells, Bells, Bells"March 11, 1992 (1992-03-11)20613.2 [25]
2411"Strike Down the Band"March 18, 1992 (1992-03-18)21013.9 [26]
2512"Everybody Comes to Nick's"March 25, 1992 (1992-03-25)21313.8 [27]
2613"A Foggy Day on Puget Sound"April 8, 1992 (1992-04-08)20312.7 [28]
2714"Ferry Tale"April 22, 1992 (1992-04-22)21412.4 [29]
2815"Brother Can You Spare a Dime"May 6, 1992 (1992-05-06)21510.9 [30]
2916"The Girl with Someone Extra"May 13, 1992 (1992-05-13)21610.0 [31]

Awards and nominations

Winters won an Emmy for his role as Gunny Davis, [32] while Trevor Bullock and Robin Lynn Heath also won Young Artist Awards for their roles in the series. [33]

YearAwardCategoryRecipientResult
1991 Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesJonathan WintersWon
1992 Emmy Award Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy SeriesJo Mayer (Lighting designer)
(for episode "A Foggy Day On Puget Sound")
Nominated
Young Artist Award Best New Family Television SeriesDavis RulesNominated
Best Young Actor Starring in a New Television SeriesTrevor BullockWon
Best Young Actor Co-starring in a Television SeriesRigoberto JimenezNominated
Best Young Actress Guest Starring or Recurring Role in a TV SeriesRobin Lynn HeathWon

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References

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  2. 1 2 Casey Davidson (February 12, 1993). "Super Bowl Bump". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
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  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 From the United States Copyright Office catalog: "Public Catalog - Copyright Catalog (1978 to present) - Basic Search [search: "Davis Rules"]"". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
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  32. Emmy Database Archived April 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  33. Young Artists Awards site Archived April 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine