Payne (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Payne is an American
television
series, patterned after the British
program Fawlty Towers
. It starred American actor
John Larroquette
, who portrayed assistant district attorney Dan Fielding on the American television program Night Court
. Larroquette was also an executive producer for the series.
Payne was a mid-season replacement on CBS
and aired in March and April of 1999. The show also starred JoBeth Williams
, Julie Benz
and Rick Batalla
. Nine episodes were filmed; eight were aired.
moved from Torquay
, England
, to an ambiguous location on the coast of California
. The action takes place at the Whispering Pines Inn, owned and operated by Royal Payne and his wife Constance Payne.
The pilot episode merged the plots of the Fawlty Towers episodes "Gourmet Night
" and "The Hotel Inspectors
".
) - Was inspired by Basil Fawlty
. Royal had an overpowering obsession (not unlike Basil’s generally obsessive behavior) with keeping up with a rival hotel called the Sand Dune, located just a short distance up the road. His schemes to do so cheaply or overly simply were the source of many of his problems. The viewer was given the impression that the only reason Whispering Pines ever had any guests at all was that it was in a popular resort area and the much superior Sand Dune was nearly always full.
Constance (Connie) Payne (JoBeth Williams
) – Based on Sybil Fawlty
. The antagonistic dynamic between Connie and Royal was also nearly identical to that between Sybil and Basil with one distinct exception: Their sex life was apparently extremely vibrant and healthy, whereas Basil and Sybil's was implied to be repressed. Connie’s gossip sessions on the telephone with her friends (a Sybil Fawlty characteristic) invariably eventually had her bragging about how fantastic Royal was in bed, and implying that this was why she continued to tolerate him. Since Royal had a Basil-like sense of embarrassment, this caused him enormous consternation.
Breeze O’Rourke (Julie Benz
) – The “Polly” character. One difference between Breeze and Polly was that Breeze was staunchly proud that she was a virgin. She was “saving herself for marriage”. Otherwise, Breeze was Polly: intelligent, efficient, and repeatedly saving Royal from his own incompetence.
Mo (Rick Batalla
) – Mo was essentially Manuel, except that he was from India
rather than Spain
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series, patterned after the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
program Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975. Twelve television program episodes were produced . The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom played major characters...
. It starred American actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
John Larroquette
John Larroquette
John Edgar Bernard Larroquette, Jr. is an American film, television and Broadway actor. His roles include Dan Fielding on the series Night Court, Mike McBride in the Hallmark Channel series McBride, John Hemingway on The John Larroquette Show, and Carl Sack in Boston Legal.-Personal...
, who portrayed assistant district attorney Dan Fielding on the American television program Night Court
Night Court
Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone...
. Larroquette was also an executive producer for the series.
Payne was a mid-season replacement on 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...
and aired in March and April of 1999. The show also starred JoBeth Williams
JoBeth Williams
JoBeth Williams is an American film and television actress and director, and current President of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.-Early life:...
, Julie Benz
Julie Benz
Julie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
and Rick Batalla
Rick Batalla
-Biography:He grew up in Santa Monica.He has worked both in front of the camera as a series regular , and as a guest star on various television shows, and in films like Eraser with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Gia with Angelina Jolie.Rick is also involved in LA...
. Nine episodes were filmed; eight were aired.
Basic description
Payne was a remake of Fawlty TowersFawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975. Twelve television program episodes were produced . The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom played major characters...
moved from Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to an ambiguous location on the coast of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The action takes place at the Whispering Pines Inn, owned and operated by Royal Payne and his wife Constance Payne.
The pilot episode merged the plots of the Fawlty Towers episodes "Gourmet Night
Gourmet Night
"Gourmet Night" is the fifth episode in the first series of the BBC TV sitcom Fawlty Towers.-Cast:Episode credited cast:*John Cleese as Basil Fawlty*Prunella Scales as Sybil Fawlty*Andrew Sachs as Manuel*Connie Booth as Polly Sherman...
" and "The Hotel Inspectors
The Hotel Inspectors
"The Hotel Inspectors" is the fourth episode of the BBC sitcom, Fawlty Towers.-Synopsis:When Basil hears of hotel inspectors roaming Torquay incognito, he realises with horror that the guest he has been verbally abusing could easily be one of them....
".
Characters
Royal Payne (John LarroquetteJohn Larroquette
John Edgar Bernard Larroquette, Jr. is an American film, television and Broadway actor. His roles include Dan Fielding on the series Night Court, Mike McBride in the Hallmark Channel series McBride, John Hemingway on The John Larroquette Show, and Carl Sack in Boston Legal.-Personal...
) - Was inspired by Basil Fawlty
Basil Fawlty
Basil Fawlty is the main character of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers, played by John Cleese. The character is often thought of as an iconic British comedy character, and has been deemed unforgettable despite only a dozen half-hour episodes ever being made....
. Royal had an overpowering obsession (not unlike Basil’s generally obsessive behavior) with keeping up with a rival hotel called the Sand Dune, located just a short distance up the road. His schemes to do so cheaply or overly simply were the source of many of his problems. The viewer was given the impression that the only reason Whispering Pines ever had any guests at all was that it was in a popular resort area and the much superior Sand Dune was nearly always full.
Constance (Connie) Payne (JoBeth Williams
JoBeth Williams
JoBeth Williams is an American film and television actress and director, and current President of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.-Early life:...
) – Based on Sybil Fawlty
Sybil Fawlty
Sybil Fawlty is a fictional character from the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers. She is played by Prunella Scales. Her age is listed as 34 years old as seen on her medical chart in the 1975 episode "The Germans", thus presumably indicating that she was born in 1941...
. The antagonistic dynamic between Connie and Royal was also nearly identical to that between Sybil and Basil with one distinct exception: Their sex life was apparently extremely vibrant and healthy, whereas Basil and Sybil's was implied to be repressed. Connie’s gossip sessions on the telephone with her friends (a Sybil Fawlty characteristic) invariably eventually had her bragging about how fantastic Royal was in bed, and implying that this was why she continued to tolerate him. Since Royal had a Basil-like sense of embarrassment, this caused him enormous consternation.
Breeze O’Rourke (Julie Benz
Julie Benz
Julie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
) – The “Polly” character. One difference between Breeze and Polly was that Breeze was staunchly proud that she was a virgin. She was “saving herself for marriage”. Otherwise, Breeze was Polly: intelligent, efficient, and repeatedly saving Royal from his own incompetence.
Mo (Rick Batalla
Rick Batalla
-Biography:He grew up in Santa Monica.He has worked both in front of the camera as a series regular , and as a guest star on various television shows, and in films like Eraser with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Gia with Angelina Jolie.Rick is also involved in LA...
) – Mo was essentially Manuel, except that he was from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
rather than Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Episode titles
| No. | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The J. Edgar Hoover Pin Story" | 1999 March 15 |
| 2 | "Sexual Intercom" | 1999 March 17 |
| 3 | "Whatever Happened to Baby Payne?" | 1999 March 24 |
| 4 | "Gossip Checks In and a Cat Checks Out" | 1999 March 31 |
| 5 | "Pacific Ocean Duck" | 1999 April 7 |
| 6 | "Trouble in Room 206" | 1999 April 14 |
| 7 | "I Never Forget a Face-Lift" | 1999 April 21 |
| 8 | "Wedding Fever" | 1999 April 28 |
| 9 | "Uncle Royal and Aunt Connie" | (Unaired) |