Sunday Dinner (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Sunday Dinner is a short-lived 1991 CBS
sitcom produced by Norman Lear
, which marked his return to TV after an absence of several years. It ran as a summer entry on CBS' lineup from June 2, 1991 until July 7, 1991. Lear's current wife Lyn Davis Lear served as co-producer on the series, which was the first official Lear show to be made under his latest production marquee Act III Productions.
as Ben Benedict, a widowed 50-something businessman in Long Island
who falls in love with a 26-year-old lawyer by the name of TT Fagori (Teri Hatcher
). Being true to Lear fashion, the situation of Ben and TT's age difference was an issue in itself, but the show also tackled other environmental and social issues in the way that his earlier shows (All in the Family
, Maude
, etc) did, with a dose of spirituality. Ben's kids, who were all around TT's age, resented her involement with their father, except for beloved son Kenneth (Patrick Breen
), a real estate agent on the fast track, who seemed to root them on.
Others in the cast included Marian Mercer
as Ben's sister Martha Benedict, who had been living with Ben's family since the death of his wife. Ben's daughters were airheaded Diana (Kari Lizer
) and forthright intellectual Vicky (Martha Gehman
), who was back living at home after her divorce, along with her cute young daughter Rachel (Shiri Appleby
).
In every episode, some stressful confrontation or incident between TT and the Benedicts would occur, usually as a result of Diana and Vicky's feeble attempts to undermine Ben and TT's romance and their refusal to get past the surface image of TT being "just another bimbo", in order to get to know her better. At every situation's climax TT would retreat to a private corner and address "The Chief" - which was her one-sided talk with God
about her issues. Lear insisted on making TT a devout Catholic
as well as an environmentalist, to further reflect the study of spirituality up against politics and American
family values in the series. In fact, the format for Sunday Dinner was based upon Lear's marriage to his third wife Lyn, who was considerably younger than he.
to 9pm in order to air Sunday Dinner on Sunday nights at 8/7c, alongside reruns of Lear's classic All in the Family
(at 8:30/7:30c). After two weeks, however, both programs swapped time slots. Neither the press or scheduling helped; the show only lasted 6 weeks.
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...
sitcom produced by Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
, which marked his return to TV after an absence of several years. It ran as a summer entry on CBS' lineup from June 2, 1991 until July 7, 1991. Lear's current wife Lyn Davis Lear served as co-producer on the series, which was the first official Lear show to be made under his latest production marquee Act III Productions.
Synopsis
The series starred Robert LoggiaRobert Loggia
Robert Loggia is an American film and television actor and director.- Early life :Loggia, an Italian American, was born on Staten Island, the son of Elena Blandino, a homemaker, and Benjamin Loggia, a shoemaker, both of whom were born in Sicily, Italy...
as Ben Benedict, a widowed 50-something businessman in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
who falls in love with a 26-year-old lawyer by the name of TT Fagori (Teri Hatcher
Teri Hatcher
Teri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress, writer, and presenter. She is known for her television roles as Susan Mayer on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and Lois Lane on the ABC comedy-drama series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman...
). Being true to Lear fashion, the situation of Ben and TT's age difference was an issue in itself, but the show also tackled other environmental and social issues in the way that his earlier shows (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...
, Maude
Maude (TV series)
Maude was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS network from September 12, 1972 until April 22, 1978.Maude starred Beatrice Arthur as Maude Findlay, an outspoken, middle-aged, politically liberal woman living in suburban Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York with...
, etc) did, with a dose of spirituality. Ben's kids, who were all around TT's age, resented her involement with their father, except for beloved son Kenneth (Patrick Breen
Patrick Breen
Joseph Patrick Breen is an American actor. He has acted primarily on TV but has also appeared in numerous films, as well as on Broadway and Off Broadway...
), a real estate agent on the fast track, who seemed to root them on.
Others in the cast included Marian Mercer
Marian Mercer
Marian Ethel Mercer was an American actress and singer.Born in Akron, Ohio, she graduated from the University of Michigan, then spent several seasons working in summer stock. She made her Broadway debut in the chorus of the short-lived musical, Greenwillow in 1960...
as Ben's sister Martha Benedict, who had been living with Ben's family since the death of his wife. Ben's daughters were airheaded Diana (Kari Lizer
Kari Lizer
Kari Lizer is an American actress, writer, and producer. She was the creator and executive producer of the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine. On May 18, 2010 CBS canceled Old Christine...
) and forthright intellectual Vicky (Martha Gehman
Martha Gehman
Martha Gehman is an American actress, perhaps best known for her role as Ophelia in the 1985 cult classic The Legend of Billie Jean.She also had supporting roles in The Flamingo Kid and Threesome....
), who was back living at home after her divorce, along with her cute young daughter Rachel (Shiri Appleby
Shiri Appleby
Shiri Freda Appleby is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her leading role as Liz Parker in the television series Roswell...
).
In every episode, some stressful confrontation or incident between TT and the Benedicts would occur, usually as a result of Diana and Vicky's feeble attempts to undermine Ben and TT's romance and their refusal to get past the surface image of TT being "just another bimbo", in order to get to know her better. At every situation's climax TT would retreat to a private corner and address "The Chief" - which was her one-sided talk with God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
about her issues. Lear insisted on making TT a devout Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
as well as an environmentalist, to further reflect the study of spirituality up against politics and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
family values in the series. In fact, the format for Sunday Dinner was based upon Lear's marriage to his third wife Lyn, who was considerably younger than he.
Time slot
CBS was sure that Lear's comeback would be successful, and in the process moved summer reruns of Murder, She WroteMurder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
to 9pm in order to air Sunday Dinner on Sunday nights at 8/7c, alongside reruns of Lear's classic 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 8:30/7:30c). After two weeks, however, both programs swapped time slots. Neither the press or scheduling helped; the show only lasted 6 weeks.