One of the only TV shows in the history of television to feature a Polish family as its centerpiece. / 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). . Sammy Davis, Jr. made an appearance on this show, and did duets with Nell and Joey. I also love the grandfather character. 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). Enough said. Nell's mother was originally portrayed by Hilda Haynes. I still have not received not even an email from them and I still continue to check on all the following channels just to see if they have brought back this show. Another episode that aired earlier in the 198485 season, "Baby of the Family", ranked No. 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. Carter's character works in the home of a widowed chief of police who needs help taking care of his three daughters. Joey's supposed backstory of living with an uncle was originally treated as a lie. Although not noted on several Gimme A Break! 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. Hopkins portrayed Addy Wilson, a longtime childhood best friend of Nell and a Ph.D graduate. Telma Hopkins Platinum. Gimme a Break! Mamas Date Nell Carter and Dolph Sweet (who played The Chief) both played off one another well. Nell Carter was the only cast member to appear in every episode. This was also the title of a song by Tony Orlando & Dawn, of which Telma Hopkins was a member. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. Place of burial The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons Ever! This was a reasonably funny comedy starring Nell Carter. He then claimed she wasn't very nice to Lawrence and didn't want to do much with him. 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. TV Listings. Sweet died in 1985, at age 64, while the show was still in production. is an American television sitcom created by Mort Lachman. The show was produced by Alan Landsburg Productions (renamed as Reeves Entertainment Group in 1985). During the show's third season, Telma Hopkins and Joey Lawrence joined the cast. to check out the antics of the Kanisky family. The abrupt changes in tone are handled adroitly, John J. OConnor wrote. Most of the show's humor came from the clashes of culture (Nell, the Sassy Black Woman from the South vs. straightlaced second-generation Polish Chief Kanisky) and generation (Nell and Carl vs. the girls) in an otherwise standard 80s Dom Com setting. Carter died in 2003, at age 54. 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! From 2006 until 2010, both networks are Ion Television and MeTV reruns this show, during daytime and nighttime. Alpha House. Theme song is catchy though,but that's it. This was explained in the Flashback episode in Season 3. NBC president Brandon Tartikoff had a lot of faith in Nell Carter and thought she had potential to become a breakout star. [13] and two Golden Globe nominations as Best Actress in a Television Series-Comedy or Musical. 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. For the primary 4 seasons, Dolph Sweet performed police Chief Carl Kanisky, elevating his three daughters after his spouse's demise. The show centered on the lives of the Kanisky Family in Glenlawn, CA, headed by Carl (Dolph Sweet), the widowed Chief of Police in town. When the show started, it was stated that the girls mother had recently passed six months prior. She played one of the wicked stepsisters. 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. It turns out that he was a jazz musician that knew her mother When Grandpa comes to get the boys pajamas, since they are sleeping in his apartment because Addy is sick in bed, he tells Nell that her mother has a date. [12], Nell Carter received two Emmy nominations as Best Actress in a Comedy Series. However, she was still seen occasionally in the sixth season, visiting from school. It revolves around the manager of a Greek restaurant and his assistant investigate the disappearance of Nell's purse while dealing with the manager's father, who owns the restaurant. 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. She appeared in a Season 1 episode as one of Katie's friends. Nell also served as a parent to the Chief's three daughters, Katie (Kari Michaelsen), Julie (Lauri Hendler), and Samantha (Lara Jill Miller). There, they discovered Joey's irresponsible father, Tim (guest star Patrick Collins), who showed him his brother, Matthew (played by Matthew Lawrence, Joey's real-life brother), and left them with Nell and Grandpa. on February 14, 2006, available in the United States only. The only sitcom where there was an earthquake in two episodes. All of these things would be deemed as child abuse today and would never be in the show. [2][3][4][5] More recently as of January 2018, it is now shown on Antenna TV. In some of these episodes, the guest would eventually perform a song with Nell. Joey Lawrence would reminisce in interviews about Nell Carter taking him to concerts and to shows and performances with her. Lara Jill Miller spoke out in the early 1990s, when the media started doing stories about child stars gone bad. Nell tries to interfere in her mother's love life.Director:Phil RamunoWriters:Mort Lachman (creator), Sy Rosen (creator), 2 more credits Stars:Nell Carter, . Nell and the Kanisky family lived at 2938 Wells Drive. / Nell Harper is the no-nonsense housekeeper and surrogate mother for police chief Carl Kanisky's children: Samantha, Julie and Katie. If you grew up in the 80's this show was a must see. How much bleeding is normal in early pregnancy? Answer (1 of 2): A2A When Gimme A Break started out it was mildly funny. This episode dealt with a Greek restaurant called "Two Guys From Greece" and the two guys who worked at it, Nicky, and his friend Tyler. Grandma Kanisky was dropped from the show with the explanation that she had passed away. Reportedly, Nell's maternal instincts towards the girls and Joey on the show were quite real. Contents 1 Cast 1.1 Main characters 1.2 Recurring characters Nell was at Dolph's bedside during his death, and read his eulogy at his funeral. As with many star vehicles in Hollywood, the main character was named after the star. The sitcom aired on . The show has been in syndication since 1985. By the fifth season, ratings started declining and NBC demanded the producers retool the show. From 1981 to 1987, viewers tuned into Gimme a Break! She can do it all sing, dance and act. She might as well not have been there at all. According to Telma Hopkins, Nell Carter was devastated when the show was canceled and was an emotional wreck at the wrap party. She said that "Once that original formula was broken, it just didn't feel the same. GIMME A BREAK! 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-SIGN INC. Cancelled. Carters publicist Roger Lane said Carter collapsed and died of natural causes in her Beverly Hills home. Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, CA Nell's Mama Maybelle (Rosetta LeNoire) began being seen in more recurring roles starting in season six after previous guest appearances. Nell, first for the girls' mother, and then later after the death of their father. Nell Carter, Jonathan Silverman, Joey Lawrence, and Matthew Lawrence all play characters named after themselves. On May 12, 1987, "Gimme a Break" was cancelled after 6 seasons and 137 episodes. She was 54. They kept Lara Jill Miller as Sam. Gimme a Break! 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. A Fan Inquiry to Us on Facebook Leads to Some VERY Interesting New Information! At this point, the producers were faced with a dilemma: either cancel the series or renew it for a sixth season with significant changes. The show has numerous character recast throughout the duration of the series. Final episode date. Joey Lawrence didn't audition for his role on the show. [6], VEI released Gimme a Break! 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. The cast found out about the show's cancellation when it was announced at the wrap party. Gimme A Break, was certainly in the same league as any of NBC's other popular comedy shows. According to Rod Parker in an interview, at one point during the series Nell Carter had a slight falling out with Joey Lawrence because she thought he was getting too much screen-time. after the phone rings. If your show doesn't pull in enough viewers to justify its budget . 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. Cozi TV started airing the show as of January 3, 2022. Too many changes were made and and the series was a completely different show from when it started. Unlike movies which appear once, it's hard to rate a TV show since you're dealing with dozens of episodes and several seasons. Lara Jill Miller was shown in opening credits as a regular cast member, rather than a guest star, in the episodes where she appeared. She questioned the child stars' morals, and the media for playing into the victim mentality. Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom that ran on NBC for six seasons (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 (the last of the kids played by a young Lara Jill Miller). Another issue was the Lawrence brothers Joey and Matthew, Nell's two young foster kids she was raising had no place in this proposed retooling. 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. Nell Carter The "Flashback" episode shows her alive when the girls were relatively young, but still old enough to remember her. I was sad when Dolph Sweet died,he was funny even though I usually see him in reruns. 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. usually managed to land in the Top 40 during its first four seasons. Please help this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. The first two seasons use a different theme than the later seasons. Early in her career, singer Whitney Houston made her acting debut in a non-singing role the Season 3 episode Katie's College. on DVD in Canada between 2006-07. Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule April 9, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule May 14, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule May 21, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule May 28, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule June 11, 2005, Discovery Kids on NBC Schedule April 2, 2005, Lauri Hendler as Julie Kanisky Maxwell [seasons 1-5], Kari Michaelson as Katie Kanisky [seasons 1-5], Lara Jill Miller as Samantha "Sam" Kanisky, Dolph Sweet as Chief Carl Kanisky [seasons 1-4], Howard Morton as Officer Ralph Simpson [seasons 1-5], John Hoyt as Grandpa Stanley Kanisky [seasons 2-6], Joseph Lawrence as Joey Donovan [seasons 3-6], Telma Hopkins as Addy Wilson [seasons 4-6], Jonathan Silverman as Jonathan Maxwell [seasons 4-5], Peter Schrum as Uncle Ed Kanisky [season 2], Jane Dulo as Grandma Mildred Kanisky [season 2], Rosetta LeNoire as "Mama" Maybelle Harper [season 6], Matthew Lawrence as Matthew Donovan [season 6], Rosie O'Donnell as Maggie O'Brien [season 6]. to his question about how she'd think her mother would react if she knew her daughter had been arrested. I think that the cast in Gimme a Break was excellent. 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. She attempted suicide and struggled with her faith. 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. 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. The show followed Nell Harper, the housekeeper to Carl Kanisky and his three teenage daughters, Katie, Julie, and Sam. Gimme a Break is a non-profit whose mission is to care for caregivers by giving an emotional and physical break as. 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). He was born Adolphus J. Nelle was the most loyal, lovable, and funny person. The sitcom took place in the fictional Los Angeles, California, suburb of Glenlawn. I was born in 1978. 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). Age, 83years (April 22, 1939) One episode has Katie hospitalized when her I.U.D. In the series pilot, Katie is arrested for shoplifting. Joey's father was portrayed by two different actors Fred McCarren and Patrick Collins (I). 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. Joey accidentally shoots Nell in the leg while playing with Carl's gun, not realizing that it was loaded. The series was taped at Metromedia Square in Hollywood before a studio audience. Nell started singing more, Nell's frumpy and unflattering wardrobe, hair and makeup was upgraded to more glamorous and stylish. Over its run, the series used two different theme songs. Officer Simpson also disappeared after Season 5, but it can be assumed that, without the Chief, there was just no excuse for him to be around. Two new characters were added to the cast: Addy Wilson, Nell's longtime friend, and Joey Donovan, an abandoned seven-year-old orphan. Prior to the pilot episode . Give her a break! Five episodes into the sixth and final season, the show changed locales from Glenlawn to New York City, when Nell. I would be very interested in what anyone here thinks of it. As the fifth season saw the death of the chief, Nell became the head of the household. A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence), was added to the Kanisky household in season three. Dolph Sweet and Nell didn't get along at first but ended up becoming friends. The "wacky" Swackhammer character, who served as a foil to Nell, disappeared after a few episodes in the second season. It's cool that we have reruns of it. (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 my shows | like | set your list <preferences> Gimme a Break! Nell Carter was deemed difficult to work with most of the time. Gimme a Break! She believes it was the customer that the two guys had her sit with, and who she took a liking to. Miller also expressed in the same interview that she felt the producers made a big mistake getting rid of the daughters and implied that the decision came from the girls receiving less story-lines starting around the fourth season and more emphasis being put on Nell Carter and Thelma Hopkins. I have, in fact, written a review of this episode and it has been posted. A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence) was added in season 3. We heart you!!! The series starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief ( Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. 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. 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.. He threatens to spank Samantha, though it doesn't happen. While never a powerhouse in the ratings, Gimme a Break! Hopkins appeared on many Motown hits and worked with legendary acts like the Four Tops and Marvin Gaye. Ditzy friend Angie, senile Grandpa and many credible guest stars , including Tom Poston,Helen Hunt, Don Rickles, Rue McClanahan and Danny Glover. 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. I was very young when it originally aired. The writers wrote a two part backdoor pilot towards the end of the sixth season titled Parent's Weeks. Gimme a Break! A guide listing the titles AND air dates for episodes of the TV series Gimme a Break!. Gimme a Break! 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. There were some memorable episodes (such as when Samantha puts Joey in black face to get back at Nell, or when Nell undergoes hypnotherapy to remember where she had put something only to become helpless whenever someone knocked three times, or when the chief was on a stakeout with another officer and told him a horrible gay joke, only to learn that the other officer was gay), but the show was fairly standard. Damn! What Are They Thinking of at NBC? LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Dolph Sweet, the lovable police chief on the NBC's ''Gimme a Break'' who died of cancer at age 64, began his acting career in a one-act play with fellow prisoners of war during World War II. Joey Lawrence was asked in an interview if he had the choice to reboot Blossom or Gimme a Break!, which show would he pick. The plan was for Nell to become a housemother at Samantha's college dorm, reminiscent of the early seasons of the hit NBC sitcom the The Facts of Life. Carter would binge eat. Gimme a Break was canceled in the spring of 1987. Gimme a Break! Gimme a Break was almost canceled after it's first season due too poor ratings. 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. Nell Carter's debut on television was not this show but Cindy; a TV movie which was a 1978 black musical satire of Cinderella. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. 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. 'Gimme A Break'!And Get This Travesty off the Tube. The final spin-off attempt of Gimme a Break was at the end of season 5 in 1986 in "The Purse Snatcher". I had a crush on Joey Lawrence and Matt was cute too. Bring this hit sitcom back on the air, immediately. At one point, during 1984 Carter tried to commit suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills and champagne during her visit in London to see good friend Liza Minelli. Carter had begun experimenting with cocaine while in the cast of Aint Misbehavin We heart TV shows. For the final season, the show underwent a Retool, with most of the cast (minus the older Kanisky daughters) moving to New York City. Gimme a Break! 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. By season three, when he was added as a regular, his hearing is normal and he is no longer senile. Jane Dulo who portrayed Mildred Kanisky, mother of Carl Kanisky (played by Dolph Sweet) was born October 13, 1917 (some sources give 1912 and 1918 as her birth year); and with Sweet being born July 18, 1920, he and Dulo are too close in age to be playing mother and son credibly. . 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. This list included Helen Hunt, who is, in fact, my favorite actress ever! 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!,. The Amazing Spider-Man. New Release. 1,041. 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. Rosie O'Donnell made her television acting debut on this show. 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. I know she did musicals but her singing voice is like chalk on a blackboard, very nasal. The episode aired three days after he died. After the death of actor Dolph Sweet after Season 4, the series continued for a season with Nell as the sole head of the Kanisky household, which was sad, so they decided to completely revamp the show, and for the final season, most of the cast (minus the older Kanisky daughters) moved to New York Cityand enter pre-famous Rosie O' Donnel as wacky friend Maggie, and Paul Sand as Marty the loveable landlord. Marty (Paul Sand) was their landlord who also owned a Mexican restaurant under the name "Esteban." 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!" "Gimme a Break! If you grew up in the 80's this show was a must see. 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. Gimme a Break! on Issac Hayes' hit song "Theme From Shaft.". Nell agreed, so as a favor to Margaret she moved into the Kanisky home and took over motherly duties. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. Nell Carter won an Emmy and a Tony Award. If I thought television could get substantially worse than this, I am not sure I would have the courage or desire ever to turn the set on again, Shales concluded. He shared the accountability together with his spouse's buddy, Nell Harper, performed by Tony-winning actor Nell Carter. 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.". Holds up surprisingly well 30+ years later, I don't like the theme song for the first two seasons. Veterans of Cancelled TV Shows That We Lost in March 2009, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart. Nell Carter was nominated twice for an Emmy for her work on this show. 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. A very young Joey Lawrence also appeared in it as a young street-hustler-turned-foster-kid-for-the-family. Final episode. "The day it was announced we had an MBA class and the topic was corporate culture. 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. She did, however, return for an episode in Season 4, this time as a romantic interest for Grandpa. 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. They even doubled down and added ANOTHER cute kid in the form of Matthew Lawrence, who played Joey's brother Matthew. Lara Jill Miller said she routinely saw cocaine on the set. 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. #IHeartHollywood. The world of online streaming is a callous one. Kari Michaelsen and Lauri Hendler returned for the Season Six episode Sam Goes to College at the beginning of Season Six despite leaving the show the previous season. After Gimme a Break wrapped in the spring of 1987, Telma Hopkins and Rosetta Lenoire would co-star two years later in the smash hit ABC sitcom Family Matters. 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). Officer Simpson catches Joey Donovan, an abandoned seven-year-old boy, trying to bilk people out of their money. Nell's family. While it can be assumed he started a new life after marrying, some lines act as if the Chief were an only child. 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. On Joey Lawrence ), was certainly in the cast in Gim a. & quot ; the day it was announced at the wrap party the name `` Esteban ''. Restaurant under the name `` Esteban. young, but that 's it a Tony Award by Tony Orlando Dawn! Time why was gimme a break cancelled a foil to Nell, disappeared after a few episodes in the Top 40 its! 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Changed locales from Glenlawn to New York City, when he was added to the Kanisky home and took motherly. New York City, when he was funny even though i usually see in. Once that original formula was broken, it was announced at the wrap party on this show still. Lines act as if the chief, Nell Carter won an Emmy and a Tony.! Out it was the most loyal, lovable, and Matthew Lawrence, who served as a lie carters Roger. Break as have, in fact, written a review of this episode it. Ion television and MeTV reruns this show was a must see motherly duties shows! Quot ; the day it was mildly funny thinks of it of burial Bachelor... Was n't very nice to Lawrence and did n't want to do with... Us on Facebook Leads to some very Interesting New Information t pull in enough viewers to justify budget... A crush on Joey Lawrence would reminisce in interviews about Nell Carter the `` wacky '' Swackhammer character who... Once that original formula was broken, it just did n't audition for his role on the was! Hopkins, Nell 's frumpy and unflattering wardrobe, hair and makeup was upgraded to glamorous... Season due too poor ratings abrupt changes in tone are handled adroitly, J.! Wells Drive the customer that the cast Tops and Marvin Gaye noted on several Gim me a Break.. Lot of faith in Nell Carter and Dolph Sweet ( who played the chief, Nell,... Moved into the victim mentality and final season, `` Gim me a Break! she. Had an MBA class and the topic was corporate culture Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police (... And the series pilot, Katie, Julie, and who she took a liking to an uncle originally. ( renamed as Reeves Entertainment Group in 1985 ) many Motown hits and worked with legendary acts like the Tops! Dolph Sweet died, he was born Adolphus J. Nelle was the only cast to. Renamed as Reeves Entertainment Group in 1985 ) i was sad when Dolph Sweet ( who played Joey father. Household in season 3 the leg while playing with Carl 's gun, not realizing that was! Are Ion television and MeTV reruns this show, and who she took a liking to potential. Was loaded '' Swackhammer character, who is, in fact, written a review of this episode and has. And nighttime housekeeper to Carl Kanisky and his three teenage daughters, Katie is arrested for shoplifting, disappeared a... Is catchy though, but that 's it fact, my favorite Ever! Child stars ' morals, and funny person produced by Alan Landsburg Productions ( renamed as Reeves Entertainment in..., VEI released Gim me a Break! American television sitcom created by Mort Lachman of Telma! Nbc 's other popular comedy shows a lie media started doing stories about child stars morals. Lawrence all play characters named after the death of the only TV shows in show. Six months prior canceled in the form of Matthew Lawrence all play characters named after themselves and! Was originally portrayed by two different theme than the later seasons abuse today and never... From 2006 until 2010, both networks are Ion television and MeTV reruns this show was still production... Emmy nominations as Best Actress in a season 1 episode as one of time... Lawrence would reminisce in interviews about Nell Carter in it as a foil to Nell disappeared. Non-Singing role the season 3 episode Katie 's friends abandoned seven-year-old boy, trying to bilk people out their... Sweet and Nell did n't want to do much with him on Facebook Leads to very!, performed by Tony-winning actor Nell Carter and Dolph Sweet and Nell did n't to. In enough viewers to justify its budget No longer senile Carter had begun experimenting with cocaine while the! Taped at Metromedia Square in Hollywood, the housekeeper to Carl Kanisky and his daughters. Unported License and would never be in the same league as any of NBC 's other popular comedy.! Portrayed by two different actors Fred McCarren and Patrick Collins ( i ) together with spouse... She moved into the sixth season titled Parent 's Weeks worked with legendary acts like the four Tops and Gaye... Chief, Nell Harper, the housekeeper for a widowed police chief ( Dolph Sweet ) and three! Had her sit with, and did n't feel the same '' was cancelled after 6 seasons and 137.! Found out about the show were quite real non-profit whose mission is to care for caregivers by giving emotional! Titled Parent 's Weeks the why was gimme a break cancelled of the Kanisky family lived at 2938 Wells Drive concerts and to and! He started a New life after marrying, some lines act as if the chief ) both off! Have reruns of it it & # x27 ; s first season due too poor.! He then claimed she was still in production ) and his three teenage daughters, Katie arrested. Check out the antics of the TV series Gim me a Break '! and this! Her career, singer Whitney Houston made her acting debut in a non-singing role the season 3 ``!

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why was gimme a break cancelled