Editing Major Dad

{{Short description|1989–1993 American television series}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox television
|image               = Major dad.jpg
|caption             = The cast of ''Major Dad''.
|genre               = [[Sitcom]]
|creator             = John G. Stephens<br>Richard C. Okie
|developer           = [[Earl Pomerantz]]
|starring            = [[Gerald McRaney]]<br>[[Shanna Reed]]<br>[[Beverly Archer]]<br>[[Jon Cypher]] <br>[[Nicole Dubuc]]<br>Chelsea Hertford<br>[[Matt Mulhern]]<br>[[Marisa Ryan]]
|theme_music_composer = 
|opentheme           =
|endtheme            =
|composer            = Roger Steinman<br>[[Steve Dorff]] 
|country             = United States
|language            = English
|num_seasons         = 4
|num_episodes        = 96
|list_episodes       = List of Major Dad episodes
|executive_producer  = Rick Hawkins<br>Gerald McRaney<br>Richard C. Okie<br>Earl Pomerantz
|producer            = Jim Evering<br>Barry Gold<br>Janet Leahy<br>Liz Sage<br>Todd Stephens
|editor              = Skip Collector<br>John William Heath<br>Augie Hess
|camera              = 35mm [[Multi-camera setup|Multi-camera]]
|runtime             = 30 minutes
|company             = S.B.B. Productions<br>Spanish Trail Productions<br>[[Universal Television]]
|network             = [[CBS]]
|first_aired         = {{start date|1989|9|17}}
|last_aired          = {{end date|1993|5|17}}
}}

'''''Major Dad''''' is an American [[sitcom]] television series created by Richard C. Okie and John G. Stephens, developed by [[Earl Pomerantz]], that originally ran from September 17, 1989, to May 17, 1993, on [[CBS]], starring [[Gerald McRaney]] as Major John D. MacGillis and [[Shanna Reed]] as his wife Polly. The cast also includes [[Beverly Archer]], [[Matt Mulhern]], [[Jon Cypher]], [[Marisa Ryan]], [[Nicole Dubuc]], and Chelsea Hertford.

==Synopsis==
The first season is set at the fictional Camp Singleton (meant to represent [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton|Camp Pendleton]]),{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} where hard-charging [[United States Marine Corps]] Major John D. "Mac" MacGillis is commander of the infantry training school's acquisition division. MacGillis's life is changed when he falls in love with a liberal journalist, Polly Cooper. The show follows Mac in his work life, where he deals with Lt. Eugene Holowachuk (Matt Mulhern), Sgt. Byron James (Marlon Archey), and Merilee Gunderson ([[Whitney Kershaw]]), as well as his home life, as he learns to live with Polly's three daughters, Elizabeth, Robin, and Casey.

At the beginning of the second season, the MacGillis family moves to Camp Hollister (based on [[Marine Corps Base Quantico]]), where Mac must adapt to the role of staff secretary (or "staff weenie") and the crazy antics of Commanding (Brigadier) General Marcus C. Craig, Aide-de-Camp 1st Lt. Eugene Holowachuk (who transferred with Major MacGillis from Camp Singleton), and Gunnery Sgt. Alva "Gunny" Bricker, the General's secretary, a no-nonsense Marine, who despite her brusque nature and unprepossessing physical appearance, is the target of many enthusiastic (and [[Unseen Character|unseen]]) suitors. Character development increased during the second season, such as the revelation that MacGillis is a former member of the [[United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon]].

''Major Dad'' incorporated the 1991 [[Persian Gulf War]] into storylines, depicting Mac staying stateside instead of going to Saudi Arabia as he wanted. Scenes with Polly writing in her diary were shot as late as possible to incorporate breaking news.<ref name="tucker19910222">{{Cite magazine |last=Tucker |first=Ken |date=1991-02-22 |title=The War and 'Major Dad' |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/02/22/war-and-major-dad/ |access-date=2024-06-13 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}</ref> After rewriting the last six episodes of the 1990-1991 season because of the war, the show had to again modify episodes because the war ended sooner than expected.<ref name="herbert19910311">{{Cite news |last=Herbert |first=Steven |date=1991-03-11 |title='Major Dad' Gets a Change of Orders : Television: The end of the Gulf War forces the CBS military sitcom to revise episodes that were altered when war began. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-11-ca-161-story.html |access-date=2024-06-13 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Cast==
{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Gerald McRaney]] as Maj. John D. "Mac" MacGillis
* [[Shanna Reed]] as Pollyanna "Polly" Esther Cooper MacGillis
* [[Marisa Ryan]] as Elizabeth Cooper MacGillis
* [[Nicole Dubuc]] as Robin Cooper MacGillis
* Chelsea Hertford as Casey Cooper MacGillis
* [[Matt Mulhern]] as Lt. Eugene "Gene" Holowachuk
* Marlon Archey as Sgt. Byron James (season one)
* [[Jon Cypher]] as Brig. Gen. Marcus C. Craig (seasons two-four)
* [[Whitney Kershaw]] as Merilee Gunderson (season one)
* [[Beverly Archer]] as GySgt. Alva "Gunny" Bricker (seasons two-four)
* Timothy Schnabel as Billy Sparling (some episodes)
}}

==Episode guide==
{{Main|List of Major Dad episodes}}
{{:List of Major Dad episodes}}

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Result
! Category
! Recipient
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA;"
| 1992 || [[Broadcast Music Incorporated|BMI Film & TV Award]] || '''Won''' || BMI TV Music Award || Steve Dorff
|-
| 1992 || [[Primetime Emmy Award|Emmy Award]] || '''Nominated''' || Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music || Steve Dorff
|-
| rowspan=2|1990 || rowspan=8|[[Young Artist Awards]] || '''Nominated''' || Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series || Chelsea Hertford
|-style="background-color: #EAEAEA;"
| '''Won''' || Best New Television Series || {{center|-}}
|-
| rowspan=4|1991 || rowspan=4|'''Nominated''' || Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series || Marisa Ryan
|-
| Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series || Chelsea Hertford
|-
| Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series || Nicole Dubuc
|-
| Best Young Actor Supporting or Re-Occurring Role for a TV Series || Chance Michael Corbitt
|-
| 1992 || '''Nominated''' || Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series || Marisa Ryan
|-
| 1993 || '''Nominated''' || Outstanding Actress Under Ten in a Television Series || Chelsea Hertford
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0096643}}
*{{epguides|id=MajorDad}}
*[http://www.retrojunk.com/content/tv/4645/index/ ''Major Dad'' introduction] (video clip)

[[Category:1989 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1993 American television series endings]]
[[Category:1980s American multi-camera sitcoms]]
[[Category:1990s American multi-camera sitcoms]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Military comedy television series]]
[[Category:Television series by Universal Television]]
[[Category:Television shows set in California]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Virginia]]
[[Category:Television shows about the United States Marine Corps]]
[[Category:Television series about families]]
[[Category:1980s American workplace comedy television series]]
[[Category:1990s American workplace comedy television series]]
[[Category:CBS sitcoms]]