The Baxters
The Baxters | |
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Created by | Hubert Jessup |
Developed by | Norman Lear |
Starring |
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Theme music composer | Marvin Laird |
Country of origin |
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Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 50 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 25 minutes |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | Syndication |
Release | September 1979 August 1981 | –
The Baxters is a
The series was the first "
Synopsis
The original run on WCVB featured married couple Stanley and Susan Baxter, their children Dennis and Amy, plus Grandma Lizzie. Stan was a high school shop teacher, while Susan was enrolled in night school. Dennis was in college and Amy in high school.[3]
During the first season as a nationally-syndicated program, the Baxters were an "average" middle-class family living in a suburb of
The second season featured an all new cast as another Baxter family; Jim Baxter (
The format in all three versions was essentially the same. Unlike most other sitcoms, each episode was open-ended, the first half of each episode being a vignette featuring the Baxter family and presenting a situation or dilemma they faced, and the second half, an "instant analysis" talk-show format, giving a live studio audience and guests a chance to talk about the topic being presented. Stations carrying the show could choose between producing their own discussion segments locally, or presenting a national version of the segment which, during its first season, was produced in Los Angeles, and in its second season, Toronto. The discussion moderator in the second segment was different in each city, and in some local markets, viewers were invited to call in and voice their reactions.
Cast
On WCVB
- Frank Dolan as Stanley Baxter
- Anita Sangiolo as Susan Baxter
- Scott Evans as Dennis Baxter
- Tiki Furho as Amy Baxter
- Harriet Rogers as Grandma Lizzie
Season 1
- Larry Keith as Fred Baxter
- Anita Gillette as Nancy Baxter
- Derin Altay as Naomi Baxter
- Chris Petersen as Jonah Baxter
- Terri Lynn Wood as Rachael Baxter
Season 2
- Sean McCann as Jim Baxter
- Terry Tweed as Susan Baxter
- Marianne McIsaac as Allison Baxter
- Sammy Snydersas Gregg Baxter
- Megan Follows as Lucy Baxter
Episodes
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Production
The program originally began as a local production at
After two seasons as a local show in Boston, producer
The show was slated to end production after its Lear-produced season due to poor ratings performance.
In an interview, Rue McClanahan said she did the pilot episode of this series for Norman Lear but told him she didn't want to do the series itself. It is unknown if her appearance was in the actual pilot or an unaired pilot, presumably the latter given she is not credited and the show is not attributed to her anywhere. It is also possible she never actually filmed the episode but was just considering it. A script binder entitled The Baxters was discovered many years later to be a part of her personal collection.[11][12]
References
- ^ "The Baxters (Season 2)". Film and Television Industry Alliance. 4 February 2019. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (April 9, 2018). "Roma Downey, Ted McGinley to Star in LightWorkers Media Drama 'The Baxters'". Variety. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
- ^ "Bob Cameo on WCVB-TV's sitcom the Baxters".
- ^ "The Baxters - Fuzzy Memories TV". FuzzyMemories.tv. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
- ^ "Herbert Jessup - Newton Free Library". NewtonFreeLibrary.net. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
- ^ ISBN 978-0345497734.
- ^ a b "The Baxters - TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
- ^ "The Baxters - Yahoo! TV". TV.Yahoo.com. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
- ^ a b c "Canadian Baxters aims to do better". The Globe and Mail, August 14, 1980.
- ^ "The Baxters - Film.com". Film.com. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
- ^ "Rue McClanahan". Television Academy Interviews. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
- ^ admin. ""The Baxters" Binder with the Annotated Book for Rue's Musical "Oedipus Shmedipus" Inside [SOLD] | The Estate of Rue". Retrieved 2022-01-25.
External links
- The Baxters at IMDb
- The Baxters episode guide at TV Guide
- The Baxters at The Museum of Classic Chicago Television