Hail to the Chief (TV series)

Last updated
Hail to the Chief
Hail to the Chief tv show.jpg
Created by Susan Harris
Directed by J.D. Lobue
Starring Patty Duke
Richard Paul
Ted Bessell
Glynn Turman
Joel Brooks
John Vernon
Quinn Cummings
Ricky Paull Goldin
Taliesin Jaffe
Dick Shawn
Herschel Bernardi
ComposerGeorge Aliceson Tipton
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes7 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time30 minutes
(per episode)
Production company Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions
Original release
Network ABC
ReleaseApril 9 (1985-04-09) 
May 21, 1985 (1985-05-21)

Hail to the Chief is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from April 9 to May 21, 1985. It centred on the President of the United States, portrayed by Patty Duke. The series was created by Susan Harris, [1] and was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions. It featured one of the few recurring gay characters in a 1980s television series (Randy, the Secret Service Agent portrayed by Joel Brooks).

Contents

Synopsis

Hail to the Chief is similar in style to the TV sitcom, Soap (from the same producers as this series), in that it was a comedy with open-ended storylines that parodied a soap opera. Patty Duke had the starring role as the President, Julia Mansfield. The show focused on President Mansfield's attempt at balancing her political career with raising her family.

Cast and characters

Starring
Also starring
Recurring guest stars

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
1"Episode One" J.D. Lobue Susan Harris April 9, 1985 (1985-04-09)20.0 [6]
President Julia Mansfield is told that Brower, an Air Force general gone crazy, has taken control of a launch command center and will launch a preemptive nuclear strike against the USSR unless his demands are met. Julie calls Soviet Premier Zolotov to warn him, and is told that the Soviet Union will have no choice but to retaliate if she can't stop Brower. Later, Julia's husband Oliver confesses all of his past affairs to her, and she walks out on him.
2"Episode Two"J.D. LobueSusan HarrisApril 16, 1985 (1985-04-16)15.0
General Stryker tells Head of Security Helmut Luger that Stryker's daughter is pregnant and that Luger is responsible, unaware that Julia's son Doug is really the father. Corrupt televangelist Rev. Billy Joe Bickerstaff plots to have Julia impeached. Oliver's mistress Darlene threatens to ruin him when he tries to end the affair; in an attempt to make up for all his past mistakes, Oliver promises God that he will save the world by stopping Brower.
3"Episode Three"J.D. LobueStory by: Paul Junger Witt & Tony Thomas
Teleplay by: Kathy Speer, Terry Grossman, Barry Fanaro, Mort Nathan & Susan Harris
April 23, 1985 (1985-04-23)14.8
Oliver confronts Brower and is shot in the process; later, Julia tells a comatose Oliver that all is forgiven. Meanwhile, Ivan Zolotov, head of the KGB and the premier's twin brother, arrives at the Russian embassy and instructs his agent Darlene to stay by Oliver's side so she can continue to get information.
4"Episode Four"J.D. LobueStory by: Paul Junger Witt & Tony Thomas
Teleplay by: Kathy Speer, Terry Grossman, Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan
April 30, 1985 (1985-04-30)13.7
Oliver recovers, believing that Heaven has given him a second chance. His daughter Lucy is sleeping with Raoul the butler, but Raoul says that he can't commit to a serious relationship until his people in Contrapointa, South America, are free. Darlene visits Oliver in the hospital. Stryker tells Luger to marry his daughter Muffin, under threat of death. Rev. Billy Joe finds two wealthy oil barons, Clovis and Lamar, who are willing to help him with his plan.
5"Episode Five"J.D. LobueStory by: Paul Junger Witt & Tony Thomas
Teleplay by: Kathy Speer, Terry Grossman, Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan
May 7, 1985 (1985-05-07)14.0
Oliver, who is now home from the hospital, still can't make love to Julia because he feels guilty about cheating on her again. Clovis and Lamar find some dirt on the President's personal accountant, Irving Metzman (George Wyner), and force him to help them plot against Julia. Oliver breaks it off with Darlene but not before having "one last time together," unaware that the KGB is secretly filming the whole thing.
6"Episode Six"J.D. LobueStory by: Paul Junger Witt & Tony Thomas
Teleplay by: Kathy Speer, Terry Grossman, Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan
May 14, 1985 (1985-05-14)12.3
Clovis and Lamar give Metzman some money to secretly put into government contracts, in the names of Julia's family, as personal investments to make it appear that she gave her family inside information. They then tell Rev. Billy Joe to attack Julia on his talk show. Ivan Zolotov confronts Oliver, letting him know that if he doesn't do what Ivan says the world will see the film of him and a Russian agent.
7"Episode Seven"J.D. LobueStory by: Paul Junger Witt & Tony Thomas
Teleplay by: Kathy Speer, Terry Grossman, Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan
May 21, 1985 (1985-05-21)12.2
Raoul leaves for South America and Lucy follows after him. Luger has dinner with Stryker's family and, after seeing how crazy they are, decides to marry Muffin if for no other reason than to get her out of the house. Ivan gives Oliver a list of demands. Later Ivan admits to a colleague that if Oliver doesn't come through for them he has a better plan – a plan to put a Soviet agent in the White House, at which point he introduces his newest secret agent: Rev. Billy Joe!

Reception

Critical response

John J. O'Connor of The New York Times wrote in his review: "Hail to the Chief features Patty Duke as the first female President of the United States surrounded by assorted misfits in a format that is intended to be, as they like to say, zany and irreverent. This one's sour, to say the least. [...] As for Hail to the Chief, there hasn't been anything so furiously wacky on prime-time television since Soap got a broad cross-section of protest groups worked up almost a decade ago - even before the show went on air. Not surprisingly, both series come out of Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions. Susan Harris is the creator and writer. Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas are the producers. It is perhaps a sign of the times that Hail to the Chief, which goes several kinky steps beyond the outrageousness of Soap, is making its debut without so much as a raised eyebrow, even though the advertisements for the equal opportunity offender promise that you'll say, I thought they couldn't do that on TV." [7]

Ratings

Hail to the Chief, which featured Patty Duke as the President, got off to a very good start, attracting 32% of the available viewers and winning its time period for the April 9 premiere. But it drew only 24% the following week, 23% for the third episode and 22% for the fourth. [1]

Cancellation

Hail to the Chief was canceled in May 1985 after seven episodes. [1] [8] ABC continued to air repeats of the series through July 20, 1985.

Related Research Articles

The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, the show is about four older women who share a home in Miami, Florida. It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions, in association with Touchstone Television. Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas, and Harris served as the original executive producers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Mulligan</span> American actor (1932–2000)

Richard Mulligan was an American character actor known for his roles in the sitcoms Soap (1977–1981) and Empty Nest (1988–1995). Mulligan was the winner of two Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe Award (1989). Mulligan was the younger brother of film director Robert Mulligan.

<i>Benson</i> (TV series) American television sitcom

Benson is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 13, 1979, to April 19, 1986. The show stars Robert Guillaume in the title role of Benson DuBois, the head of the household for Governor Eugene X. Gatling, played by James Noble. The show focused on the conflicts and relationships within the Governor's household, with Benson generally providing the sarcastic voice of reason. Inga Swenson, Missy Gold, Didi Conn, Ethan Phillips, and René Auberjonois all played long-term supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patty Duke</span> American actress (1946–2016)

Anna Marie "Patty" Duke was an American actress. Over the course of her acting career, she was the recipient of an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finola Hughes</span> British actress

Finola Hughes is a British actress, best known for her role as Anna Devane on the ABC soap operas General Hospital and All My Children, and her portrayal of Laura in the 1983 film Staying Alive, the sequel to Saturday Night Fever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Bessell</span> Actor, television director

Howard Weston "Ted" Bessell Jr. was an American television actor and director. He is best known for his role as Donald Hollinger, the boyfriend and eventual fiancé of Marlo Thomas's character in the TV series That Girl (1966–1971).

Mackenzie Alexander Astin is an American actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patty McCormack</span> American actress

Patricia McCormack is an American actress with a career in theater, films, and television.

<i>The Patty Duke Show</i> American television series

The Patty Duke Show is an American television sitcom created by Sidney Sheldon and William Asher. The series ran on ABC from September 18, 1963, to April 27, 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Asher</span> American film and television producer, director, and screenwriter (1921–2012)

William Milton Asher was an American television and film producer, film director, and screenwriter. He was one of the most prolific early television directors, producing or directing over two dozen series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Galloway</span> American stage, film and television actor (1937–2009)

Donald Poe Galloway was an American stage, film and television actor, best known for his role as Detective Sergeant Ed Brown in the series Ironside (1967–1975). He reprised the role for a TV film in 1993. He was also a politically active Libertarian and columnist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Harris</span> American television comedy writer and producer

Susan Harris is an American television writer and producer who created the Emmy Award-winning sitcoms Soap (1977–1981) and The Golden Girls (1985–1992). Between 1975 and 1998, Harris was one of the most prolific television writers, creating 13 comedy series. In 2011, she was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raúl Dávila</span> Puerto Rican actor

Raúl Dávila was an actor, who is best remembered in the United States for his role of Hector Santos in the American soap opera All My Children. In his home country of Puerto Rico, he is perhaps better remembered as the titular "Carmelo" of the hit WAPA-TV sitcom, "Carmelo y Punto".

<i>Good & Evil</i> (TV series) American sitcom

Good & Evil is an American sitcom and soap opera parody that was broadcast in the United States on ABC from September 25 to October 30, 1991. The series was created by Susan Harris, and produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions in association with Touchstone Television.

I'm a Big Girl Now is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from October 31, 1980 until May 8, 1981. Soap creator Susan Harris and producers Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas developed the series as a star vehicle for Diana Canova following her success playing Corinne Tate Flotsky on Soap, although I'm a Big Girl Now is not a Soap spinoff.

Spencer, later titled Under One Roof, is an American sitcom television series created by Sy Rosen, that was broadcast on NBC for one season from December 1, 1984 until May 11, 1985.

<i>It Takes Two</i> (American TV series) American TV series or program

It Takes Two is an American sitcom which ran on ABC from October 14, 1982, until April 28, 1983. It was created by Susan Harris, who had previously created the sitcom Soap and its spin-off Benson, both for ABC, the latter of which was in the midst of its run when this series premiered. The series starred Richard Crenna and Patty Duke Astin as a modern, dual-career couple whose personal lives were largely affected by their professions. Harris, her husband Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas executive-produced the series, under the group's Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions company.

Witt/Thomas Productions is an American television and movie production company run by TV producers Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas. The company was consistently productive between its founding in 1973 and 1999, but is still active, producing an occasional film or TV series project. It has produced more than 25 American primetime television series, mostly half-hour sitcoms. Witt/Thomas is perhaps best known for producing the popular sitcoms Soap, Benson, It's a Living, The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, Blossom, and Brotherly Love. Witt and Thomas have also produced many cinematic works, including the 1989 box office collection success Dead Poets Society.

<i>The Golden Girls</i> (season 1) Season of television series

The first season of the American television comedy series The Golden Girls originally aired on NBC in the United States between September 14, 1985, and May 10, 1986. Created by television writer Susan Harris, the series was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions and ABC Studios It starred Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Betty White, and Estelle Getty as the main characters Dorothy Zbornak, Blanche Devereaux, Rose Nylund, and Sophia Petrillo. The series revolves around the lives of four older women living together in a house in Miami.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flip Mark</span> American film and television actor

Flip Mark is an American film and television actor. He is known for playing the role of Brook Hooten in the American sitcom TV series Guestward, Ho!.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Margulies, Lee (May 21, 1985). "'Hail To The Chief' Goes To A Quiet Death On Abc". Los Angeles Times . Los Angeles . Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  2. Chicago Tribune Staff. "Julia Mansfield, 'Hail to the Chief'". Chicago Tribune . Chicago: Tronc, Inc. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  3. Oliver, Myrna (October 9, 1996). "Ted Bessell; Actor, Director Co-Starred in 'That Girl'". Los Angeles Times . Los Angeles . Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 574.
  5. Terrace 2011, p. 425.
  6. Bruce B. Morris, Prime Time Network Serials: Episode Guides, Casts and Credits for 37 Continuing Television Dramas, 1964-1993, McFarland and Company, 1997.
  7. O'Connor, John J. (April 9, 1985). "TV REVIEWS; 2 SITCOMS: 'LUCIE ARNAZ' AND 'HAIL TO THE CHIEF'". The New York Times . New York City . Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  8. Vaughn & Goren 2012, p. 108.

Sources