Caroline in the City
Encyclopedia
Caroline in the City is an American situation comedy
that ran from September 21, 1995 to April 26, 1999 on the NBC
television network. It starred Lea Thompson
as cartoonist Caroline Duffy. The series premiered in the two-hour Thursday night block
led by Friends
.
Caroline's success as a cartoonist is well displayed throughout the first season, as she gets her own balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
, has a park dedicated to her in her native Peshtigo, Wisconsin
, and is offered her own cereal. She tells a date that her career began with doodling as a copywriter, a job she took after dropping out of college. In one episode it is revealed that her cartooning began as a child drawing violent pictures of her brother Chris. A meeting with her agent showed that it took less than five years for her cartoon to become nationally syndicated. A clerk at a pharmacy said he saw her on The Today Show.
Following a date with a conspiracy theorist, Caroline met Del at Remo's, an Italian restaurant which appears in most episodes. He gave her a ride home and he proposed marriage. Richard is distressed by this and searches for a new job but doesn't find one. Although Richard kept his feelings secret, Annie and Remo were able to figure out that he loved Caroline.
The day before her wedding, he writes her a love letter and leaves it in a pile of wedding 'thank-you' cards. In it he tells her to meet him at Remo's if she loves him. She arrives, and Richard kisses her, but doesn't explain himself, but it turned out that Caroline didn't get any letter. Richard realizes that since Caroline is about to marry Del there is no place in her life for him and decides to leave Manhattan
. Caroline and Del decide not to marry, unbeknownst to Richard. Caroline visits Richard's apartment only to find that he has left, and since she didn't read the letter she did not know why.
The second season began with Richard failing to sell enough paintings to stay in Paris, and moving back to Manhattan. Caroline gave the box of 'thank-you' cards with his love letter to a friend, and it ends up at her apartment. Richard tries to find and destroy the love letter, first by sending Charlie and later by going himself. He tossed the thank you notes out the window, only to have Annie find it. She made several copies and planned to show it to Caroline, but Richard convinced her not to. Richard resumed his old job as her colorist. Annie used the letter to blackmail him, but ceased doing so after her sister used the note for the lyrics of a song.
Later Caroline discovers that she has feelings for Richard, only to have Richard marry his Italian ex-girlfriend Julia, who he met in Manhattan, but when Caroline left a message on his answering machine telling him that she loves him, Julia erased it. Then Richard and Julia got married, prompting a bitter love triangle between the three.
Towards the end of the series, Caroline and Richard do start dating. However, the show ended on a cliffhanger
note – as Caroline was about to get married to another man (Randy), Richard (who had broken up with Caroline over not wanting children, once he discovered he'd fathered a child with his Italian ex-wife) is shown at the wedding. Since the program was canceled after that episode aired, the cliffhanger was never resolved.
The show was filmed at CBS Studio Center
.
Richard's job, coloring in the cartoons and other material, is regularly mocked as being "silly" or "childish". Richard regularly made wisecracks about Caroline's extroverted and talkative nature, Annie's promiscuity, and Del's poorly thought out comments. Richard sometimes has chances to become a major success, but they all result in failure, often because of his own bumbling. His poverty and living conditions are sometimes used for jokes. Richard also had great contempt for Salty, Caroline's cat played by Tiki, the cat from the 1993 film Homeward Bound
.
The show sometimes made use of short animated versions of her cartoon strip, especially during the first season. The Pilot and "Caroline and the Bad Back" showed that Caroline had a rivalry with Cathy
.
During the third season, it was paired with Suddenly Susan
, Fired Up
, and The Naked Truth
as part of "Ladies Monday Night."
) has released the first two seasons on DVD in Region 1.
In Region 2, Revelation Films
released all four seasons on DVD between August 2005 – June 2006
In Region 4, Visual Entertainment has released the fist two seasons on DVD in Australia.
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 from September 21, 1995 to April 26, 1999 on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television network. It starred Lea Thompson
Lea Thompson
Lea Katherine Thompson is an American actress and director. She is best known for her 1990s NBC situation comedy Caroline in the City and her portrayal of Lorraine Baines McFly, Marty McFly's mother, in the Back to the Future trilogy...
as cartoonist Caroline Duffy. The series premiered in the two-hour Thursday night block
Must See TV
"Must See TV" is an advertising slogan used by the NBC television network to brand its prime time blocks of sitcoms during the 1990s, and most often applied to the network's Thursday night lineup, which featured such popular sitcoms as The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, Night Court, A Different...
led by Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
.
Premise
Caroline Duffy is a cartoonist living in a Manhattan loft. She is shown in many episodes spending a lot of time with her dates or lovers and meddling in the lives of those around her. The series began shortly after she had broken up with her boyfriend Del, who quickly found a date. She hires Richard Karinsky to be her new colorist in the first episode, and he pretended to be her new boyfriend during a dinner to prevent her from being embarrassed over Del's moving on. Richard develops feelings for Caroline throughout the first season.Caroline's success as a cartoonist is well displayed throughout the first season, as she gets her own balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
, has a park dedicated to her in her native Peshtigo, Wisconsin
Peshtigo, Wisconsin
Peshtigo is a city in Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,357 at the 2000 census. The city is located within the Town of Peshtigo. It is part of the Marinette, WI–MI Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, and is offered her own cereal. She tells a date that her career began with doodling as a copywriter, a job she took after dropping out of college. In one episode it is revealed that her cartooning began as a child drawing violent pictures of her brother Chris. A meeting with her agent showed that it took less than five years for her cartoon to become nationally syndicated. A clerk at a pharmacy said he saw her on The Today Show.
Following a date with a conspiracy theorist, Caroline met Del at Remo's, an Italian restaurant which appears in most episodes. He gave her a ride home and he proposed marriage. Richard is distressed by this and searches for a new job but doesn't find one. Although Richard kept his feelings secret, Annie and Remo were able to figure out that he loved Caroline.
The day before her wedding, he writes her a love letter and leaves it in a pile of wedding 'thank-you' cards. In it he tells her to meet him at Remo's if she loves him. She arrives, and Richard kisses her, but doesn't explain himself, but it turned out that Caroline didn't get any letter. Richard realizes that since Caroline is about to marry Del there is no place in her life for him and decides to leave Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Caroline and Del decide not to marry, unbeknownst to Richard. Caroline visits Richard's apartment only to find that he has left, and since she didn't read the letter she did not know why.
The second season began with Richard failing to sell enough paintings to stay in Paris, and moving back to Manhattan. Caroline gave the box of 'thank-you' cards with his love letter to a friend, and it ends up at her apartment. Richard tries to find and destroy the love letter, first by sending Charlie and later by going himself. He tossed the thank you notes out the window, only to have Annie find it. She made several copies and planned to show it to Caroline, but Richard convinced her not to. Richard resumed his old job as her colorist. Annie used the letter to blackmail him, but ceased doing so after her sister used the note for the lyrics of a song.
Later Caroline discovers that she has feelings for Richard, only to have Richard marry his Italian ex-girlfriend Julia, who he met in Manhattan, but when Caroline left a message on his answering machine telling him that she loves him, Julia erased it. Then Richard and Julia got married, prompting a bitter love triangle between the three.
Towards the end of the series, Caroline and Richard do start dating. However, the show ended on a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
note – as Caroline was about to get married to another man (Randy), Richard (who had broken up with Caroline over not wanting children, once he discovered he'd fathered a child with his Italian ex-wife) is shown at the wedding. Since the program was canceled after that episode aired, the cliffhanger was never resolved.
The show was filmed at CBS Studio Center
CBS Studio Center
CBS Studio Center is a television and film studio located in the Studio City district of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. It is located at 4024 Radford Avenue and takes up a triangular piece of land, with the Los Angeles River bisecting the site...
.
Themes and sources of humor
The underlying theme of the series is that Richard loves Caroline but is unable or unwilling to tell her. This results in awkwardness with her boyfriends and dates. Caroline later develops similar feelings and similarly doesn't tell him.Richard's job, coloring in the cartoons and other material, is regularly mocked as being "silly" or "childish". Richard regularly made wisecracks about Caroline's extroverted and talkative nature, Annie's promiscuity, and Del's poorly thought out comments. Richard sometimes has chances to become a major success, but they all result in failure, often because of his own bumbling. His poverty and living conditions are sometimes used for jokes. Richard also had great contempt for Salty, Caroline's cat played by Tiki, the cat from the 1993 film Homeward Bound
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is a 1993 American remake of the 1963 film The Incredible Journey, which was based on the best-selling novel The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford. Directed by Duwayne Dunham, it was released on February 3, 1993...
.
The show sometimes made use of short animated versions of her cartoon strip, especially during the first season. The Pilot and "Caroline and the Bad Back" showed that Caroline had a rivalry with Cathy
Cathy (comic strip)
Cathy was a comic strip drawn by Cathy Guisewite. It featured a woman who struggled through the "four basic guilt groups" of life — food, love, mom, and work — the strip gently poked fun at the lives and foibles of modern women. Cathy's characteristics and issues both made fun of and...
.
Main characters
- Caroline Duffy (Lea ThompsonLea ThompsonLea Katherine Thompson is an American actress and director. She is best known for her 1990s NBC situation comedy Caroline in the City and her portrayal of Lorraine Baines McFly, Marty McFly's mother, in the Back to the Future trilogy...
) – She was a cartoonist (author of the eponymous comic stripComic stripA comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
). She is from PeshtigoPeshtigo, WisconsinPeshtigo is a city in Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,357 at the 2000 census. The city is located within the Town of Peshtigo. It is part of the Marinette, WI–MI Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and often tries to make everyone like her. She also has serious trouble not meddling in the lives of everyone around her. She was engaged to Del during the first season, but the marriage never took place and their friendship remained intact. She develops a contemporary attraction to Richard, however she does not develop it as early as he during the series. As her relationship with Richard seemed impossible she was temporarily dating a veterinarian, Joe (during season 2), businessman, Trevor (during season 3), and school- time friend from PeshtigoPeshtigo, WisconsinPeshtigo is a city in Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,357 at the 2000 census. The city is located within the Town of Peshtigo. It is part of the Marinette, WI–MI Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, Randy (season 4).
- Richard Karinsky (Malcolm GetsMalcolm GetsHugh Malcolm Gerard Gets is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Richard in the American television sitcom Caroline in the City. Gets is also a dancer, singer, composer, classically trained pianist, vocal director, and choreographer. He has a small part in the film adaptation of...
) – The colorist for the Caroline in the City comic strip. He was in love with Caroline. Caroline and Richard did end up having a relationship. There was no love lost between him and Del because of Del's relationship with Caroline and Del's lack of intelligence. Richard is highly sarcastic, especially to Annie. He is a struggling artist (painter) who usually lives in slumSlumA slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
my parts of New York. He is regularly embarrassed about the nature of his job. A few times he had chances for his big break, but it always ended up in failure. Richard attended an unnamed art school, which he has a substantial student loan debt remaining for.
- Del Cassidy (Eric LutesEric LutesEric Lutes is an American actor, best known for his role of Del Cassidy on Caroline in the City and as Jake Carlson on So Little Time alongside the Olsen Twins and again with them in Switching Goals. His career started with several commercial spots...
) – Caroline's sometimes boyfriend. They were engaged to be married during the first season, but broke it off in the season finaleSeason finaleA season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program...
. Del worked at his father's greeting card company, but after he was fired he had to build his own business later in the series. Caroline becomes one of his only suppliers at this company, Eagle Greeting Cards.
- Annie Spadaro (Amy PietzAmy PietzAmy Pietz is an American film and television actress.-Early life:Pietz was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the adopted daughter of Nancy, a nurse, and Arnold Pietz, a truck driver. She trained throughout her childhood in ballet and prepared to go professional, but eventually decided not to due to...
) – Caroline's across the hall neighbor and best friend. Annie was a dancer in the BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production of CatsCats (musical)Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
. After meeting Shadoe Stevens in LA she quit her job in CatsCats (musical)Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
and rushes to California to shoot pilot for series. Unfortunately she was fired from it and since she can't move back to Broadway she became unemployed until end of the series. She is somewhat promiscuous and wears unusual styles. Her mother Angie and brother Pete were recurring characters on the show. After Richard writes Caroline a love letter which he later regrets, Annie by accident manages to get her hands on it and makes several copies, which she used to blackmailBlackmailIn common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
him until her sister used it for a song.
- Charlie (Andy Lauer) – He was a delivery boy in Del's father's company and after Del was fired they became partners in new company Eagle Greeting Cards. He has a poor grasp on reality. In the last season he has moved to Europe.
Recurring characters
- Remo (Tom La Grua) – Italian owner of restaurant Remo's Ristorante where other characters usually have dinner or spend time. Remo's Ristorante was mentioned in Richard's love letter to Caroline which later was used by Annie's sister to write song Meet me at Remo's.
- Johnny (John MarianoJohn MarianoJohn Mariano is an Emmy Award winning American actor whose worked in film, television, animation and nightclubs. He is known for playing tough guys with a comic edge. His ability of physical comedy has been compared to Jerry Lewis and Buster Keaton. Keaton's late wife Eleanor was quoted as saying;...
) – Waiter in Remo's Ristorante. Usually takes part wherever Remo is.
- Joe DeStefano (Mark FeuersteinMark Feuerstein-Career:Feuerstein got his break-through on television as a recurring character on the daytime soap opera Loving. When director Nancy Meyers was casting What Women Want, her daughter recognized Feuerstein from Practical Magic and insisted that her mother cast him...
) – Veterinarian who used to date Caroline and came close to moving in to her apartment for good. His character disappears from series after he confessess to Caroline that he slept with his ex-girlfriend.
- Julia Mazzone Karinsky (Sofia MilosSofia MilosSofia Milos is an Italian/Greek actress. She is best known for her role as Yelina Salas on CSI: Miami.Milos was born in Zurich, Switzerland, to an Italian father and a Greek mother. In her teens she entered a local beauty pageant, and after winning first prize went on to win the provincial,...
) – At the beginning of the series she was the love of Richard's life (as he calls it 'sincero amore' – the love that you don't have to question) and during Season 3 she becomes his wife. She's from Italy where they first met. She is the spoiled daughter of an Italian businessman who didn't approve of her relationship with Richard and tried to destroy him (first physically then economically).
- Trevor (Robert GantRobert GantRobert Gant is an American actor. He is sometimes credited as Robert J. Gant.-Early life:...
) – Caroline's boyfriend during season 3. He owns a computer company and German shepherd dog. His character disappears in last episode of season 3 when Caroline rushes to Spain to meet Richard and Julia – Trevor realised that he will never win a place in Caroline's heart over Richard.
- Randy (Anthony Tyler QuinnAnthony Tyler QuinnAnthony Tyler Quinn is an American actor best known for his role as Jonathan Turner on Boy Meets World from 1994-1997.-Selected filmography:*A Christmas Snow *House MD...
) – Pediatrician, Caroline's schooltime friend (or boyfriend) from PeshtigoPeshtigo, WisconsinPeshtigo is a city in Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,357 at the 2000 census. The city is located within the Town of Peshtigo. It is part of the Marinette, WI–MI Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. They meet in last season when Caroline's parents were selling their house. Since she grew up in this house she was trying to stop the sale and later was trying to buy it herself, but Randy already bought the house. When Caroline explained him how much this house means to her he agrees to sell it to her and rent it from her. When he arrives to New York for the pediatricians seminary they meet again and Caroline realizes that she may still have some feelings for Randy despite that she is in relationship with Richard. When Richard left to Italy to take care of his son Annie brought Randy to cheer Caroline up which ended up with their wedding in last episode, but since the ending was suspended and never finished there isn't any answer to question if Randy became Caroline's husband.
- Angie Spadaro (Candice AzzaraCandice AzzaraCandice "Candy" Azzara is an American character actress frequently cast in Italian or Jewish roles.Azzara was born in Brooklyn, the daughter of Josephine and Samuel Azzara. She was inspired to pursue acting by the film La Strada and theatre legend Eleanora Duse...
) – Mother of Annie whom constantly moves back to her daughter's flat which drives Annie crazy. During season 3 she got divorced.
- Pete Spadaro (Adam FerraraAdam FerraraAdam Ferrara is an American actor and comedian who is currently playing the role of Chief "Needles" Nelson on the critically acclaimed FX series Rescue Me and is also a co-host on the U.S. version of Top Gear...
) – Brother of Annie whom used to work in their father's undertaking company. During the series he tries some other occupations influenced by Richard (electrician and artist painter).
- Shelly (Lauren GrahamLauren GrahamLauren Helen Graham is an American actress and producer. She is best known for playing Lorelai Gilmore on the WB Network dramedy series Gilmore Girls and Sarah Braverman on Parenthood.-Early life:...
) – Short time she was Richard's girlfriend. Richard was desperate to break up with her, but she always had reason not to.
- Elevator Lady (Cathy LadmanCathy LadmanCathy Ladman is a Jewish American stand-up comedian, television writer, and actor. She was featured in her own installment of HBO's One Night Stand comedy series, and has been a guest on The Tonight Show on nine occasions...
) – Recurring character on the show – she was Caroline's neighbor from one of the upper floors. She often appears in key dialogues when someone enters the elevator. Also one of the episodes takes place in her apartment.
Notable guest appearances
- Matthew PerryMatthew Perry (actor)Matthew Langford Perry is a Canadian-American actor and comedian, best known for his Emmy-nominated role as Chandler Bing on the popular, long-running NBC television sitcom Friends...
– As his FriendsFriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
character, Chandler BingChandler BingChandler Muriel Bing is a fictional character on the popular U.S. television sitcom Friends, portrayed by Matthew Perry.-Background:Chandler Muriel Bing was born on April 8, 1968, the son of an erotic novelist mother and a cross-dressing Las Vegas star and is of Scottish ancestry. Chandler was Ross...
(although not actually identified as such). Meets Annie in the video store on "Caroline and the Folks." That night, Thompson appeared as Caroline in the November 2, 1995 Friends episode "The One with the Baby on the Bus." - Jean Stapleton – As Mary Kosky, Caroline's aunt, who visits in "Caroline and the Opera."
- Jane LeevesJane LeevesJane Leeves is an English film, stage, and television actress, comedienne and dancer.Leeves made her screen debut with a small role in the 1983 popular British comedy television show The Benny Hill Show. Leeves moved to the United States, where she performed in small roles until she secured a...
and David Hyde PierceDavid Hyde PierceDavid Hyde Pierce is an American actor and comedian best known for playing psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier, for which he received many accolades including four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.-Early life:Pierce, the youngest of four siblings,...
– Briefly playing Daphne MoonDaphne MoonDaphne Crane is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Frasier, played by Jane Leeves....
and Niles CraneNiles CraneNiles Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American sitcom Frasier, a spin-off of the popular show Cheers. He was portrayed by David Hyde Pierce. Niles is the younger brother of Dr. Frasier Crane, the son of Det. Martin Crane and Dr. Hester Crane, husband of Daphne Moon,...
, their characters from the NBC sitcom FrasierFrasierFrasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
at the end of the 1995 episode "Caroline and the Bad Back;" Hyde Pierce later appeared on the series again in 1996's "Caroline and the Cat Dancer" as an accountant hoping to win a role alongside Caroline's best friend Annie Spadaro in BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
's CatsCats (musical)Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
. - Sharon LawrenceSharon LawrenceSharon Elizabeth Lawrence is an American television actress. She is best known for the role of Sylvia Costas Sipowicz in the Television series NYPD Blue...
as Maddie in "Caroline and the Proposal." - John LandisJohn LandisJohn David Landis is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He is known for his comedies, his horror films, and his music videos with singer Michael Jackson.-Early life and career:...
as himself in "Caroline and the Movie." - Florence HendersonFlorence HendersonFlorence Agnes Henderson is an American actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her role of Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch from 1969 to 1974...
as herself in "Caroline and the Balloon". - Elizabeth AshleyElizabeth AshleyElizabeth Ashley is an American actress who first came to prominence as the ingenue in the Broadway play Take Her, She's Mine, which earned her a Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Play.-Early life:...
as Richard's mother in "Caroline and Richard's Mother" and "Caroline and the Bad Trip." - Morey AmsterdamMorey AmsterdamMorey Amsterdam was an American television actor and comedian, best known for the role of Buddy Sorrell on The Dick Van Dyke Show in the early 1960s.-Early life:...
and Rose MarieRose MarieRose Marie is an American actress. As a child performer she had a successful singing career as Baby Rose Marie....
– As Vic Stansky and Stella Dawson. The Dick Van Dyke ShowThe Dick Van Dyke ShowThe Dick Van Dyke Show is an American television sitcom that initially aired on the Columbia Broadcasting System from October 3, 1961, until June 1, 1966. The show was created by Carl Reiner and starred Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. It was produced by Reiner with Bill Persky and Sam Denoff....
alumni appeared as an elderly married couple in the 1996 episode "Caroline and the Watch." Amsterdam died later that year, making the episode his last television appearance; Marie later reprised her role in the 1997 episode "Caroline and the Kept Man." - Phil HartmanPhil HartmanPhilip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
– In a parody of The Twilight ZoneThe Twilight ZoneThe Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
, the host describes the viewers entering the "Caroline Zone" in "Caroline and the Letter." - Thomas GibsonThomas GibsonThomas Ellis Gibson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Daniel Nyland in the Medical drama series Chicago Hope, as Greg Montgomery in the comedy series Dharma & Greg, and as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner in the highly-popular CBS drama, Criminal...
– Playing Caroline's old boyfriend William Stevens in "Caroline and the Nice Jewish Boy." - Julie AndrewsJulie AndrewsDame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
– As herself in "Caroline and Victor/Victoria." - French StewartFrench StewartMilton French Stewart , better known by his stage name French Stewart, is an American actor, best known for his role as Harry Solomon on the 1990s sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun.-Early life:...
– A reporter covering Richard in "Caroline and the Long Shot". - Debra Jo RuppDebra Jo RuppDebra Jo Rupp is an American film and television actress, perhaps best known for her role as Kitty Forman on the long-running Fox sitcom, That '70s Show...
– As Richard's boss at his second job during Christmastime in "Caroline and the Red Sauce". - George SegalGeorge SegalGeorge Segal is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:George Segal, Jr. was born in 1934 Great Neck, Long Island, New York, the son of Fannie Blanche and George Segal, Sr. He was educated at George School, a private Quaker preparatory boarding school near Newtown, Bucks County,...
in "Caroline and the Buyer." - Brian GeorgeBrian GeorgeBrian George is a British-Israeli actor and voice actor for Indian accents, who typically plays guest roles for characters of South Asian descent. Perhaps his most famous role is as Pakistani restaurateur Babu Bhatt on Seinfeld.-Early life:...
– As Mr. Tedescu, Caroline's super in "Caroline and the Ombudsman." - Shadoe StevensShadoe StevensShadoe Stevens is an American radio host, voiceover actor, and television personality. He was the host of American Top 40 from 1988 to 1995...
as himself in "Caroline and the Wayward Husband." . - Judd HirschJudd HirschJudd Hirsch is an American actor most known for playing Alex Rieger on the television comedy series Taxi, John Lacey on the NBC series Dear John, and Alan Eppes on the CBS series Numb3rs.-Early life and education:...
– As Ben Karinsky, Richard's father, appearing in the 1996 episode "Caroline and the Comic." - Jay LenoJay LenoJames Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
appeared as himself in "Caroline and the Bad Trip". - J.C. Wendel appeared as Candy, Del's secretary in the 1997 episode "Caroline and Richard & Julia"
- Marvin HamlischMarvin HamlischMarvin Frederick Hamlisch is an American composer. He is one of only thirteen people to have been awarded Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and a Tony . He is also one of only two people to EGOT and also win a Pulitzer Prize...
- As himself in the 1997 episode "Caroline and the Bitter Beast"
Nielsen rankings
| Season | Episodes | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1995–1996 | 24 | #4 |
| 2nd | 1996–1997 | 25 | #25 |
| 3rd | 1997–1998 | 26 | #47 |
| 4th | 1998–1999 | 22 | #91 |
Timeslots
- September 1995 to July 1996 – Thursdays, 9:30 PM
- August 1996 to July 1997 – Tuesdays, 9:30 PM
- June 1997 to July 1998 – Mondays, 9:00 PM
- June 1998 to April 1999 – Mondays, 8:30 PM
During the third season, it was paired with Suddenly Susan
Suddenly Susan
Suddenly Susan is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC from 1996 to 2000. The show takes place at The Gate, a fictitious magazine which is based in San Francisco. Among the magazine's employees is Susan Keane , who always has been cared for by someone else...
, Fired Up
Fired Up (TV series)
Fired Up is a short-lived 1997–1998 situation comedy airing on NBC. It lasted for two seasons and 28 episodes. The series, the first from Grammnet Productions, starred Sharon Lawrence and Leah Remini. The series was about a self-centered promotions executive and her mouthy assistant...
, and The Naked Truth
The Naked Truth (TV series)
The Naked Truth is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 1996, and on NBC from 1996 to 1998. The series stars Téa Leoni and co-starred Holland Taylor...
as part of "Ladies Monday Night."
DVD releases
CBS DVD (distributed by ParamountParamount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment is the division of Paramount Pictures dealing with home video founded in late 1975.-History:...
) has released the first two seasons on DVD in Region 1.
In Region 2, Revelation Films
Revelation Films
Revelation Films is a British distributor of entertainment programmes on DVD.It was perhaps most well known as the company through which as of November 2006, the American anime company FUNimation Entertainment has launched its titles in the United Kingdom on region 2 DVD...
released all four seasons on DVD between August 2005 – June 2006
In Region 4, Visual Entertainment has released the fist two seasons on DVD in Australia.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Dates | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
| The Complete 1st Season | 24 | August 12, 2008 | August 22, 2005 | March 8, 2010 |
| The Complete 2nd Season | 25 | March 10, 2009 | November 7, 2005 | October 15, 2010 |
| The Complete 3rd Season | 26 | TBA | February 20, 2006 | TBA |
| The Complete 4th Season | 22 | TBA | June 26, 2006 | TBA |