My Sister Sam
Template:Short description Template:Lead too short Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox television
My Sister Sam is an American television sitcom starring Pam Dawber and Rebecca Schaeffer that aired on CBS from October 6, 1986, to April 12, 1988.
SynopsisEdit
The sitcom follows the lives of a 29-year-old San Francisco freelance photographer named Samantha "Sam" Russell and her 16-year-old sister Patti. Sam's life is turned upside down when Patti, who has been living with the sisters' Aunt Elsie and Uncle Bob in rural Oregon after the death of the girls' parents, shows up on Sam's door step and announces that she is going to live with Sam.<ref name="holston">Template:Cite news</ref>
The supporting cast includes Sam's neurotic agent Jordan Dylan "J.D." Lucas, Sam's sarcastic assistant Dixie Randazzo and Jack Kincaid, Sam's womanizing photojournalist neighbor who frequently stops by her apartment.<ref name="nytimes">Template:Cite news</ref>
CastEdit
- Pam Dawber as Samantha "Sam" Russell
- Rebecca Schaeffer as Patricia "Patti" Russell
- Joel Brooks as Jordan Dylan "J.D." Lucas
- Jenny O'Hara as Dixie Randazzo
- David Naughton as Jack Kincaid
ProductionEdit
The series was created by Stephen Fischer and was developed by Pam Dawber's production company, Pony Productions (in association with Warner Bros. Television).<ref name="nytimes" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Dawber and her Manager, Mimi Weber, spent three years searching for the most ideal television series project for their company to co-produce, but after screening several of them, Dawber had not found one that truly spoke to her. In the midst of this search, she and Weber produced a few TV movies under the Pony Productions nameplate, in which Dawber played lead roles.
By late 1985, Stephen Fischer and Diane English submitted their screenplay to Dawber and Weber, one centering on the life and times of a young photographer on the fast track who takes in her teenage sister, titled Taking the Town (based on the phrase "taking the town by storm"). At last, Dawber found a fulfilling script, and the creative team (she, Weber, Fischer and English) had the pilot successfully pitched to CBS. The network gave it a berth on its successful Monday night sitcom lineup for its 1986-87 fall schedule, as Taking the Town, with the title changing to My Sister Sam as summer pre-promotions ramped up.
The series was intended to be a starring vehicle for Dawber, who found success on television opposite Robin Williams in the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy.<ref name="holston" /> Dawber later said that she wanted the focus of the show to be on the cast as a whole, stating, "I am not a comedian. I'm a reactor to all the zany people who revolve around me."<ref name="buck">Template:Cite news</ref>
My Sister Sam was executive produced by Diane English and Mimi Weber and filmed at The Burbank Studio.<ref name="buck" />
Theme songEdit
The series' theme song, "Room Enough for Two", was written by Steve Dorff and John Bettis and performed by Kim Carnes.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Dorff won a BMI TV Music Award in 1987 for his work on the series.
EpisodesEdit
Season 1 (1986–87)Edit
Season 2 (1987–88)Edit
ReleaseEdit
My Sister Sam premiered on October 6, 1986, scheduled between Kate & Allie and Newhart, both hit shows for CBS.<ref name="nytimes" /> The series earned solid ratings and was ranked #21 by the end of its first season.<ref name="akron">Template:Cite news</ref> Due to its success, CBS renewed the series for a second season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> CBS then moved My Sister Sam to Saturday nights opposite The Facts of Life, which was a part of NBC's successful Saturday night comedy lineup.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By the end of October 1987, the show's audience had dwindled to one of the lowest on network TV ranking at #71.<ref name="akron" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The series was put on hiatus in November 1987 but remained in production while the network decided its fate.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
CBS brought the series back to the air on March 15, 1988, due in part to letters from fans and the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike which affected the production of other television series for CBS and the other two major television networks (NBC, ABC). CBS chose to move My Sister Sam yet again to Tuesday nights.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By April, ratings had failed to improve and the series was again pulled from the lineup. CBS announced the series' cancellation in May 1988, leaving 12 episodes of the second season unaired.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
SyndicationEdit
After the series was canceled by CBS, the USA Network picked up syndication rights and eventually aired all 44 episodes, including those never shown on CBS.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Home mediaEdit
The show's pilot episode appeared on the bonus disc Warner Bros. 50 Years of TV Commemorative: Volume 2. It was packaged with some releases of Murphy Brown Season 1 DVD set
ReceptionEdit
Awards and nominationsEdit
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | BMI Film & TV Awards | Template:Won | BMI TV Music Award | Steve Dorff |
| 1987 | Primetime Emmy Award | Template:Nom | Outstanding Costume Design for a Series | Bill Hargate (costume designer) (For episode "Jingle Bell Rock Bottom") |
Rebecca Schaeffer's murderEdit
On July 18, 1989, more than a year after My Sister Sam had been canceled, series cast member Rebecca Schaeffer was fatally shot in the doorway of her Los Angeles apartment building by Robert John Bardo, an obsessed fan from Tucson, Arizona, who had been stalking her for three years.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The following month, Pam Dawber, Joel Brooks, David Naughton and Jenny O'Hara reunited to film a public service announcement for the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence in Schaeffer's honor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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