Arnie (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Arnie was a television
sitcom
that ran for two seasons (1970-72) on the CBS
network. It starred Herschel Bernardi
, Sue Ane Langdon
, and Roger Bowen
.
Bernardi played the title character, Arnie Nuvo, a longtime blue collar
employee at the fictitious Continental Flange Company, who overnight was promoted to an executive position. The storylines mainly focused on this fish out of water situation, and on Arnie's sometimes-problematic relationship with his well-meaning but wealthy and eccentric boss, Hamilton Majors Jr. (Bowen). Because he still held his union card, Arnie could negotiate tricky management/labor situations that no one else could. Arnie's surname was presumably a pun on nouveau riche
(which his promotion effectively made him), and possibly also on Art Nouveau
.
In addition to Bernardi, Bowen, and Langdon (as Arnie's wife Lilian), cast members included Del Russel
and Stephanie Steele
as Arnie's son and daughter, Richard and Andrea; Elaine Shore
as Arnie's secretary, Felicia; and Herb Voland
as sour-tempered executive Neil Ogilvie.
In its first season, despite being the lead-in to The Mary Tyler Moore Show
on Saturday nights and winning an Emmy nomination as best comedy series, Arnie received only fair Nielsen ratings. For its second season, in order to increase its viewership, CBS made a major cast change in the show's format. Charles Nelson Reilly
joined the cast as Randy Robinson, a TV chef
who called himself "The Giddyap Gourmet," apparently a reference to The Galloping Gourmet
.
Also, the network decided to move the show to Monday nights at 10:00 P.M. followed at 10:30 P.M. by a new sitcom that had debuted in January, 1971 on Tuesday nights to mediocre ratings, All In The Family
. At the last minute, a switch was made and My Three Sons
left its comfortable Saturday night time slot and took over the 10:00 P.M. slot on Mondays with Arnie slotted at 10:30 P.M. Both shows sank in the ratings. All In The Family was moved to Saturday nights at 8:00 P.M. where it became the number one show for five consecutive years. At mid-season, My Three Sons was moved to Thursday nights and Arnie returned to the Saturday night prime-time schedule. The changes did not help. Both shows were canceled at the end of the 1971-1972 season.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that ran for two seasons (1970-72) on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
network. It starred Herschel Bernardi
Herschel Bernardi
Herschel Bernardi was an American film, Broadway, and television actor....
, Sue Ane Langdon
Sue Ane Langdon
Sue Ane Langdon is a retired American actress.She began her performing career singing at Radio City Music Hall and acting in stage productions. In the mid-1960s she acted at Manhattan's Schubert Theatre in The Apple Tree musical, which starred a young Alan Alda...
, and Roger Bowen
Roger Bowen
Roger Bowen was an American comedic actor and novelist, known for his portrayal of Lt. Col. Henry Blake in the 1970 film MASH. He often portrayed roles as a stuffy defender of the upper class and had regular roles on a number of television series...
.
Bernardi played the title character, Arnie Nuvo, a longtime blue collar
Blue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
employee at the fictitious Continental Flange Company, who overnight was promoted to an executive position. The storylines mainly focused on this fish out of water situation, and on Arnie's sometimes-problematic relationship with his well-meaning but wealthy and eccentric boss, Hamilton Majors Jr. (Bowen). Because he still held his union card, Arnie could negotiate tricky management/labor situations that no one else could. Arnie's surname was presumably a pun on nouveau riche
Nouveau riche
The nouveau riche , or new money, comprise those who have acquired considerable wealth within their own generation...
(which his promotion effectively made him), and possibly also on Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
.
In addition to Bernardi, Bowen, and Langdon (as Arnie's wife Lilian), cast members included Del Russel
Del Russel
Del Russel was born Del Gregory Russo on September 27, 1952 in Pasadena, California). He is an American actor, and the son of actor Tony Russel.-Filmography:*Miliardi *Robot Jox .... 2nd Technician...
and Stephanie Steele
Stephanie Steele
Stephanie Steele is a former American Actress and the Stepdaughter of actor Gavin MacLeod and the daughter of Patti MacLeod. She appeared in numerous television shows between 1971 and 1980, playing small roles and non-recurring characters.-Filmography:...
as Arnie's son and daughter, Richard and Andrea; Elaine Shore
Elaine Shore
Elaine Shore was an American actress. She was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 4, 1929. After studying at the Goodman Theatre and moving to Washington, D.C...
as Arnie's secretary, Felicia; and Herb Voland
Herb Voland
Herb Voland , who also performed under his full name Herbert Voland, was an American actor, best known for his role as General Brandon Clayton on the hit CBS-TV show M*A*S*H from 1972 to 1973.-Career:...
as sour-tempered executive Neil Ogilvie.
In its first season, despite being the lead-in to The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
on Saturday nights and winning an Emmy nomination as best comedy series, Arnie received only fair Nielsen ratings. For its second season, in order to increase its viewership, CBS made a major cast change in the show's format. Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly was an American actor, comedian, director and drama teacher known for his comedic roles in theater, movies, children's television, animated cartoons, and as a panelist on the game show Match Game....
joined the cast as Randy Robinson, a TV chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
who called himself "The Giddyap Gourmet," apparently a reference to The Galloping Gourmet
Graham Kerr
Graham Kerr is a cooking personality who is best known for his television cooking show The Galloping Gourmet.- Biography :...
.
Also, the network decided to move the show to Monday nights at 10:00 P.M. followed at 10:30 P.M. by a new sitcom that had debuted in January, 1971 on Tuesday nights to mediocre ratings, All In The Family
All in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
. At the last minute, a switch was made and My Three Sons
My Three Sons
My Three Sons is an American situation comedy. The series ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end on August 24, 1972. My Three Sons chronicles the life of a widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas , raising his three sons.The series was a cornerstone of the CBS...
left its comfortable Saturday night time slot and took over the 10:00 P.M. slot on Mondays with Arnie slotted at 10:30 P.M. Both shows sank in the ratings. All In The Family was moved to Saturday nights at 8:00 P.M. where it became the number one show for five consecutive years. At mid-season, My Three Sons was moved to Thursday nights and Arnie returned to the Saturday night prime-time schedule. The changes did not help. Both shows were canceled at the end of the 1971-1972 season.