The Trials of Rosie O'Neill

Last updated
The Trials of Rosie O'Neill
The Trials of Rosie O'Neill.jpg
Sharon Gless (left) as Rosie O'Neill
Tyne Daly (right) appeared in one episode.
Genre Drama
Created by Beth Sullivan & Joe Cacaci
Written by Beth Sullivan
Joe Cacaci
Josef Anderson
Nicole Yorkin & Dawn Prestwich
Directed by Sharron Miller
Reza Badiyi
Nancy Malone
James Frawley
Joel Rosenzweig
David Carson
Victoria Hochberg
Ron Lagomarsino
Gwen Arner
David Hugh Jones
Starring Sharon Gless
Dorian Harewood
Ron Rifkin
Georgann Johnson
Lisa Rieffel
Robert Wagner
Ed Asner
David Rasche
Theme music composer Ron Ramin
Opening theme"I Wish I Knew" performed by Melissa Manchester
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes34
Production
Executive producer Barney Rosenzweig
Running time60 minutes
Production companies MTM Enterprises
The Rosenzweig Company
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseSeptember 17, 1990 (1990-09-17) –
May 30, 1992 (1992-05-30)

The Trials of Rosie O'Neill is an American drama television series which aired on CBS from September 17, 1990 to May 30, 1992. The show stars Sharon Gless as Fiona Rose "Rosie" O'Neill, a lawyer working in the public defender's office for the City of Los Angeles. [1] [2] The show marked the return of Gless to series television after her run on Cagney & Lacey . [3]

Contents

"Rosie" was created by Beth Sullivan and Joe Cacaci, and produced by Cagney & Lacey producer Barney Rosenzweig, whom Gless married in 1991. [4] The writing staff included Beth Sullivan, Joe Cacaci, Josef Anderson, Nicole Yorkin and Dawn Prestwich. The show was cancelled by CBS in 1992. [5]

Plot

Each episode opens with Rosie talking with her therapist (Rosenzweig), whose face was never seen on camera. Rosie had been at the receiving end of an unwanted divorce, after her attorney husband had an affair. The advertisement for the series which appeared in TV Guide the night the series debuted told the story as follows: "I'm 43 and divorced. He got our law practice, the Mercedes, and the dog. It's only fair that I should be angry. I really liked that dog."

Cast

The show's cast also included Dorian Harewood, Ron Rifkin, Georgann Johnson, Lisa Rieffel and Robert Wagner. [6] Season 2 saw two new cast additions: Ed Asner joined the cast as the cantankerous Kovac, a retired cop hired by Rosie's law firm as one of their investigators. David Rasche was cast in a recurring dramatic role as Patrick Ginty, Rosie's ex-husband who was often referred to but never seen in the first season. Adding Asner to the regular cast squeezed out Dorian Harewood, who was billed as "Special Guest Star" in all season 2 episodes.

Episodes

Season 1: 1990–91

No.
overall 		No. in
season 		Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"Starting Over" Ron Lagomarsino Beth Sullivan & Joe CacaciSeptember 17, 1990 (1990-09-17)
22"The Rapist" Sharron Miller Beth Sullivan & Dawn Prestwich & Joe Cacaci & Nicole Yorkin September 24, 1990 (1990-09-24)
33"So Long Patrick" David Carson Josef AndersonOctober 1, 1990 (1990-10-01)
44"Late Night Callers" Reza Badiyi Dawn Prestwich & Nicole YorkinOctober 15, 1990 (1990-10-15)
55"Shalom"Reza BadiyiStory by : Kip Orgullo & Beth Sullivan & Joe Cacaci and Nicole Yorkin & Dawn Prestwich
Teleplay by : Nicole Yorkin & Joe Cacaci & Dawn Prestwich		October 22, 1990 (1990-10-22)
66"An Act of Love"Joel RosenzweigJudy Merl & Paul Eric MyersOctober 29, 1990 (1990-10-29)
77"When I'm 44"Sharron MillerBeth Sullivan & Josef Anderson & Joe Cacaci & Dawn Prestwich & Nicole YorkinNovember 5, 1990 (1990-11-05)
88"Rosie Gets the Blues"James FrawleyTerry AbrahamsonNovember 19, 1990 (1990-11-19)
99"The Gang's All Here"Nancy MaloneJosef AndersonNovember 26, 1990 (1990-11-26)
1010"Mr. Right"Reza BadiyiJoe CacaciDecember 3, 1990 (1990-12-03)
1111"The Man from E.L.F."Reza BadiyiJosef AndersonDecember 17, 1990 (1990-12-17)
1212"Mother Love" Victoria Hochberg Nicole Yorkin & Dawn PrestwichDecember 31, 1990 (1990-12-31)
1313"State of Mind"Sharron MillerStory by : Beth Sullivan & Barbara Schiffman
Teleplay by : Beth Sullivan		January 7, 1991 (1991-01-07)
1414"Time Will Tell"Gwen ArnerDebbie Smith & Danna DoyleJanuary 14, 1991 (1991-01-14)
1515"Reunion"Nancy MaloneStory by : Michael Corey
Teleplay by : Dawn Prestwich & Nicole Yorkin & Josef Anderson		January 28, 1991 (1991-01-28)
1616"A Conflict of Interest"Joel RosenzweigJoe CacaciJune 9, 1991 (1991-06-09)
1717"Environmental Robin Hood"Reza BadiyiBarry SchkolnickJune 16, 1991 (1991-06-16)
1818"Special Circumstances"Sharron MillerDawn Prestwich & Nicole YorkinJune 23, 1991 (1991-06-23)

Season 2: 1991–92

No.
overall 		No. in
season 		Title Directed by Written by Original air date
191"Real Mothers"UnknownCarol MendelsohnSeptember 12, 1991 (1991-09-12)
202"Knock Knock"UnknownDawn Prestwich & Nicole YorkinSeptember 19, 1991 (1991-09-19)
213"Domestic Silence"UnknownSusan MilerSeptember 26, 1991 (1991-09-26)
224"Wolf Pack"UnknownKathy McCormickOctober 3, 1991 (1991-10-03)
235"This Can't Be Love"UnknownEric OvermyerOctober 31, 1991 (1991-10-31)
246"Life Support"UnknownCai Emmons & Richard HoworthNovember 7, 1991 (1991-11-07)
257"Happy Birthday or Else"UnknownNicole Yorkin & Dawn PrestwichNovember 14, 1991 (1991-11-14)
268"Dr. Psychedelic"UnknownCarol MendelsohnNovember 15, 1991 (1991-11-15)
279"Family Business"UnknownJoe CacaciNovember 22, 1991 (1991-11-22)
2810"Battle Fatigue"UnknownBabs GreyhoskyDecember 12, 1991 (1991-12-12)
2911"Lady Luck"UnknownJames KramerDecember 19, 1991 (1991-12-19)
3012"The Other Woman"UnknownCarol MendelsohnApril 11, 1992 (1992-04-11)
3113"Heartbreak Hotel"Nancy MaloneSusan MillerApril 18, 1992 (1992-04-18)
3214"Sweet Sixteen"UnknownDawn Prestwich & Nicole YorkinApril 25, 1992 (1992-04-25)
3315"Double Bind"UnknownTim Raphael & Sally Nemeth & James KramerMay 9, 1992 (1992-05-09)
3416"Role Reversal"UnknownStory by : Sherri Ziff
Teleplay by : Cai Emmons & Richard Howorth and Nicole Yorkin & Dawn Prestwich		May 30, 1992 (1992-05-30)

Production

Production of the series was rushed for airing as a last-minute replacement for the intended Monday night vehicle, Face to Face with Connie Chung , in order to meet the air date. [7]

Notability

The series received some notoriety for its debut episode in which O'Neill jokes about getting breast augmentation surgery. She does so by asking if she "should get my tits done". The use of the word "tits" (famously cited by George Carlin as one of the seven dirty words that could not be said on television or radio) led to some controversy.

On a different note, the series was notable[ citation needed ] for being one of the few television shows to include an observant Jew—Ben Meyer, Rosie's boss, played by Ron Rifkin—as a regular character. Equally notable is that, although the Meyer character wore a kippah (skullcap), his religious identity was, with the exception of occasional instances when it figured directly in the plot, usually treated casually and without overt mention, without either melodrama or condescension.

Theme song

The theme song, entitled "I Wish I Knew", was written by Carole King and performed over the first season's credits by Melissa Manchester. Carole King made a guest appearance in a first season episode, performing an extended version of the song herself along with Gless and a few other series guests. The second season's intro (changed to the dismay of many fans) dropped the Manchester vocals, instead using an instrumental version of the theme. The series would revert to Manchester's vocal later on in the second season, prior to the cancellation by CBS.

Reception

The show gained a modest reception from critics. [8] [9] [10] [11]

For the episode, State of Mind, in which Rosie becomes preoccupied with curing the ills of a system that allows Irene Hayes (Peggy McCay), a mentally unstable woman, to live on the streets, McCay was awarded a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loretta Swit</span> American actress (born 1937)

Loretta Jane Swit is an American stage and television actress known for her character roles. Swit is best known for her portrayal of Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on M*A*S*H, for which she won two Emmy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Rifkin</span> American actor

Ron Rifkin is an American actor best known for his roles as Arvin Sloane on the spy drama Alias, Saul Holden on the drama Brothers & Sisters, and District Attorney Ellis Loew in L.A. Confidential. He received the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Herr Schultz in the 1998 revival of Cabaret.

<i>Cagney & Lacey</i> American police procedural television series (1982–1988)

Cagney & Lacey is an American police procedural drama television series that aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from March 25, 1982, to May 16, 1988. The show is about two New York City police detectives who lead very different lives: Christine Cagney is a career-minded single woman, while Mary Beth Lacey is a married working mother. The series is set in a fictionalized version of Manhattan's 14th Precinct. The pilot movie had Loretta Swit in the role of Cagney, while the first six episodes had Meg Foster in the role. When the show was revived for a full-season run, Gless portrayed the role for six consecutive years. Each year during that time, one of the two lead actresses won the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Drama, a winning streak matched only once since in any major category by a show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyne Daly</span> American actress (born 1946)

Ellen Tyne Daly is an American actress whose six-decade career included many leading roles in movies and theater. She has won six Emmy Awards for her television work, a Tony Award, and is a 2011 American Theatre Hall of Fame inductee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon Gless</span> American actress (born 1943)

Sharon Marguerite Gless is an American actress known for her television roles. She portrayed Maggie Philbin on Switch (1975–78), Sgt. Christine Cagney in the police procedural drama series Cagney & Lacey (1982–88), and played the title role in The Trials of Rosie O'Neill (1990–92). She was Debbie Novotny in the Showtime cable television series Queer as Folk (2000–2005) and Madeline Westen on Burn Notice (2007–2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Naughton</span> American actor and director (born 1945)

James Naughton is an American actor and director. On television he is best known as astronaut Pete Burke in the 1974 single-season television series Planet of the Apes. He has won two Tony Awards : for Best Actor in a Musical in 1990 for City of Angels, and again in 1997, he won a second Tony Award originating the role of lawyer Billy Flynn in the long-running revival of the musical Chicago.

<i>Lou Grant</i> (TV series) American drama television series

Lou Grant is an American drama television series starring Ed Asner in the title role as a newspaper editor that aired on CBS from September 20, 1977, to September 13, 1982. The third spin-off of the American sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant was created by James L. Brooks, Allan Burns, and Gene Reynolds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Karlen</span> American actor (1933–2020)

John Karlen was an American character actor who played multiple roles on the ABC serial Dark Shadows on and off from 1967 to 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorian Harewood</span> American actor (born 1950)

Dorian Harewood is an American actor, best known for playing Jesse Owens in The Jesse Owens Story (1984), Det. Paul Strobber on Strike Force (1981–1982), and Rev. Morgan Hamilton in 7th Heaven (1996–2003).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peggy McCay</span> American actress (1927-2018)

Margaret Ann "Peggy" McCay was an American actress whose career began in 1949, and includes theatre, television, soap operas, and feature films. McCay may be best known for originating the roles of Vanessa Dale on the CBS soap opera Love of Life, and Caroline Brady, which she played from 1983 to 2016 on NBC's Days of Our Lives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Macht</span> American television and film actor (born 1942)

Stephen Robert Macht is an American television and film actor.

Gail Strickland is an American actress who had prominent supporting roles in such films as The Drowning Pool (1975), Bound for Glory (1976), Who'll Stop the Rain (1978), Norma Rae (1979), and Protocol (1984), and appeared regularly on various network television shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Hegyes</span> American actor (1951–2012)

Robert Bruce Hegyes was an American actor best known for his portrayal of high school student Juan Epstein on the 1970s American sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter and as detective Manny Esposito on the 1980s American crime drama Cagney & Lacey. He was the cousin of rock musician Jon Bon Jovi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barney Rosenzweig</span> American television producer (born 1937)

Barney Rosenzweig is an American television producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visual Entertainment Inc.</span> Canadian video business

Visual Entertainment Inc. (VEI) is a home video/television distribution company that is based in Toronto, Ontario. An independent label, it has released several well-known TV series on DVD, some through sub-licensing deals with other labels such as Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and CBS Home Entertainment.

Barbara Corday is an American television executive, writer and producer known for co-creating the television series Cagney & Lacey.

<i>Thunder Alley</i> (TV series) American television sitcom (1994–1995)

Thunder Alley is an American sitcom that aired from March 9, 1994 to July 4, 1995, on ABC.

American Dream is an American drama television series created by Ronald M. Cohen. The series stars George Barrow, Stephen Macht, Karen Carlson, Hans Conried, Michael Hershewe, Timothy Owen Waldrip and Andrea Smith. The series aired on ABC from April 26, 1981, to June 10, 1981.

Edwin Velez is an American film, stage and television actor. He is best known for playing Frankie Santana in the final season of the American action and adventure television series The A-Team.

References

  1. ↑ "Trials of Rosie O'Neill, The". Television Academy Interviews. October 23, 2017.
  2. ↑ Meisler, Andy (22 September 1991). "TELEVISION; Edward Asner's New Cause: 'The Trials of Rosie O'Neill' (Published 1991)". The New York Times.
  3. ↑ Writer, DEBORAH HASTINGS AP Television (24 January 1992). "TV PRODUCER ROSENZWEIG TAKES ROAD LESS TRAVELED". Greensboro News and Record.
  4. ↑ "A year of trials for "Rosie O'Neill'". Tampa Bay Times.
  5. ↑ "CBS GIVES 'ROSIE O'NEILL' A LAST SHOT AT ROMANCE ...". Baltimore Sun . April 11, 1992. p. D.
  6. ↑ EST, Newsweek Staff On 11/4/90 at 7:00 PM (November 4, 1990). "Monday Night's New Game". Newsweek.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Rosenfeld, Megan (1990-07-31). "A PREGNANT PAUSE FOR CHUNG?". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  8. ↑ "The Trials of Rosie O'Neill". EW.com.
  9. ↑ "TV REVIEW : 'Trials of Rosie O'Neill' Wins on Appeal". Los Angeles Times. September 17, 1990.
  10. ↑ O'Connor, John J. (September 19, 1991). "Review/Television; 2 New Faces Join Crime Dramas (Published 1991)". The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
  11. ↑ O'Connor, John J. (September 24, 1990). "Reviews/Television; Sharon Gless, Helping The Underdogs of Life (Published 1990)". The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.