- Family Affair
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For other uses, see Family Affair (disambiguation).
Family Affair 
Cast of show: Kathy Garver (Cissy), Anissa Jones (Buffy), Johnny Whitaker (Jody), Brian Keith (Bill Davis), and Sebastian Cabot (Mr. French).Genre Sitcom Directed by Charles Barton
William D. RussellStarring Brian Keith
Sebastian Cabot
Kathy Garver
Johnny Whitaker
Anissa JonesTheme music composer Frank De Vol Composer(s) Jeff Alexander
Nathan ScottCountry of origin United States Language(s) English No. of seasons 5 No. of episodes 138 (List of episodes) Production Executive producer(s) Don Fedderson Producer(s) Edmund Beloin
Henry Garson
Edmund L. HartmannEditor(s) James H. King
Charles Van Enger
Richard L. Van Enger
Sam VitaleCinematography Stanley Cortez
Paul Ivano
Michael P. Joyce
Philip TannuraCamera setup Single-camera Running time 25 minutes Production company(s) Don Fedderson Productions
Family Affair CompanyDistributor CBS Television Distribution (domestic)
NBC Universal Television Distribution (internationally)Broadcast Original channel CBS Audio format Monaural Original run September 12, 1966 – September 9, 1971 Chronology Followed by Family Affair (2002) Family Affair is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966 to September 9, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do civil engineer and bachelor Bill Davis (Brian Keith) as he attempted to raise his brother's orphaned children in his luxury New York City apartment. Davis' traditional English gentleman's gentleman, Mr. Giles French (Sebastian Cabot), also had adjustments to make as he became saddled with the responsibility of caring for 15-year-old Cissy (Kathy Garver) and the 6-year-old twins, Jody (Johnny Whitaker) and Buffy (Anissa Jones).
The show ran for 138 episodes. Family Affair was created and produced by Don Fedderson, also known for My Three Sons.
Contents
Premise
William "Bill" Davis, originally of Terre Haute, Indiana, is a successful civil engineer who develops major projects all over the world. A wealthy bachelor often dating socialites, he lives in a large Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan, and has a quintessential gentleman's gentleman, Giles French. However, his quiet lifestyle is turned upside-down when his two nieces and nephew move in.
Bill's brother Bob and sister-in-law Mary had died in an automobile accident a year prior to the premiere episode. Their children, teen Cissy and her young twin siblings Buffy and Jody, had been dispersed among relatives in Terre Haute, but none wanted to continue raising the children, so they attempt to give the responsibility to Bill. "Uncle Bill" is not keen on the idea at first, but the children endear themselves to him. First Buffy comes along, followed by Jody, and finally Cissy. Initially mortified by the situation is Mr. French, who effectively becomes the children's nanny, on top of his valet duties. However as time passes they all become a family, albeit an accidental one.
When Sebastian Cabot became ill, Giles's brother, Nigel "Niles" French (John Williams) was introduced, working for the Davis family for nine episodes in 1967 while Giles is said to be in England visiting the Queen. In the last season, Bill hires a part-time housekeeper, Emily Turner (Nancy Walker) to assist Mr. French.
Various other characters were also seen regularly, including several acquaintances of Mr. French who are in service (most notably Miss Faversham (Heather Angel), colleagues of Bill, and friends of Cissy.
Cast
- Bill Davis — Brian Keith
- Giles French — Sebastian Cabot
- Catherine “Cissy” Davis — Kathy Garver
- Jonathan “Jody” Davis — Johnny Whitaker
- Elizabeth “Buffy” Davis — Anissa Jones
- Miss Faversham (Mr. French’s friend) — Heather Angel
- Nigel “Niles” French — John Williams (1967)
- Emily Turner — Nancy Walker (1970–71)
- Ted Gaynor (Bill’s business partner) — Philip Ober and John Hubbard
- Miss Lee (Bill’s secretary) — Betty Lynn
- Sharon James (Cissy’s friend) — Sherry Alberoni
- Gregg Bartlett (Cissy’s boyfriend) — Gregg Fedderson
- Scotty (the doorman) — Karl Lucas
Guest stars
Guest stars included (alphabetically by last name):
- Herbert Anderson
- Dana Andrews
- Joan Blondell
- Lynn Borden (twice)
- Veronica Cartwright
- Jackie Coogan
- Jamie Farr
- Paul Fix
- Joan Freeman
- Leif Garrett
- James Hong
- Clint Howard
- June Lockhart
- Myrna Loy
- Ida Lupino
- Lee Meriwether
- Erin Moran
- Eve Plumb
- Robert Reed
- Diane Roter
- Pippa Scott
- Ann Sothern
- Vic Tayback
- Joyce Van Patten
Ratings
Season Year Rating 1 1966–67 No. 15 2 1967–68 No. 5 3 1968–69 No. 5 4 1969–70 No. 5 5 1970–71 Not in Top 30[1] Production
Like Don Fedderson's other program, My Three Sons, Family Affair used a sixty-day production schedule for Brian Keith. All of his scenes for the season would be shot in two thirty-day blocks, while his co-stars would fill in after the actor's work was completed. This enabled Fedderson to harness actors like Keith and Fred MacMurray into television commitments, while still enabling each to make motion pictures. As a result, each season had a single director for each of the thirty-odd scripts.
The series was extremely popular. Buffy's doll, “Mrs. Beasley,” which she often carried with her, was marketed as a popular toy in the United States.
The series was canceled after the fifth season when CBS began leaning towards more adult-oriented sitcom fare. Family Affair was almost picked up by ABC, but the network instead decided to promote the similarly themed The Brady Bunch.
Post Family Affair
As discussed by Kathy Garver on the final season’s DVD features, the show’s cast suffered several deaths. Anissa Jones died of a drug overdose in 1976 at age 18. Sebastian Cabot died of a stroke in 1977 at age 59. In 1997, two months after the suicide of his daughter, and having lived with cancer for some time, Brian Keith committed suicide by gunshot.[2] In 2002, Gregg Fedderson died of cancer at age 53. Cancer also claimed the lives of Heather Angel in 1986 and Nancy Walker in 1992. John Williams died in 1983. Both Phil Ober and John Hubbard, who portrayed Bill Davis' business partner, Ted Gaynor, are also deceased.
DVD releases
MPI Home Video has released all 5 seasons of Family Affair on DVD in Region 1. CBS Paramount Television owns the domestic television distribution rights to the series, while the home video rights are owned by MPI Home Video (under license from the Don Fedderson estate). The DVD sets have the logo for Universal Television Distribution at the end of the closing credits (as successor NBC Universal holds the international television rights).
DVD Name Ep No. Release Date Special Features / Notes Season One 30 June 27, 2006 - Family Affair: Behind the Scenes with Kathy Garver
- Photo Gallery
Season Two 30 November 21, 2006 - "An Affair to Remember" (interview with Kathy Garver)
- "Memories" (5-minute piece with Garver showing Family Affair memorabilia)
Season Three 28 March 27, 2007 - The Family Affair Reunion Special
Season Four 26 October 30, 2007 - A Conversation with Johnny Whitaker
- "The Child Stars"
Season Five 24 February 26, 2008 - A visit by Kathy Garver to the CBS Studio City lot where the series was filmed
The Complete Series 138 November 25 , 2008 - Repackaging of Seasons 1–5 in a slimmer case
Awards and nominations
Year Award Result Category Recipient 1967 Emmy Award Nominated Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy Edmund L. Hartmann
For episode "Buffy"Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy William D. Russell Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series Brian Keith 1968 Nominated Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series Brian Keith Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series Sebastian Cabot Outstanding Comedy Series Edmund L. Hartmann 1969 Nominated Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series Brian Keith Outstanding Comedy Series Edmund L. Hartmann 1971 Golden Globe Award Nominated Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy – 2004 TV Land Award Won Best Broadcast Butler Sebastian Cabot 2008 Nominated Favorite Nanny Sebastian Cabot Revival series
A revival of Family Affair by Sid and Marty Krofft aired on The WB Television Network from September 12, 2002 to March 13, 2003. This version was produced by Turner Television, Pariah Films, Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions and Warner Bros. Television and lasted for 16 episodes (14 of the 16 were aired). It was filmed in the same CBS Studio City lot as the original series. Although the one-hour pilot had good ratings, the subsequent episodes declined against competition such as Friends. Johnny Whitaker and Kathy Garver appeared in the Christmas episode.
Revival cast
- Bill Davis — Gary Cole
- Mr. Giles French — Tim Curry
- Sigourney "Sissy" Davis — Caitlin Wachs
- Jody Davis — Jimmy "Jax" Pinchak
- Buffy Davis — Sasha Pieterse
- Jody Davis (pilot) — Luke Benward
Appearances in other media
In the pilot of the television show The Critic, film critic Jay Sherman reviews the (fictional) movie adaption of the show. In the starring role was Marlon Brando, who was "paid 8 million dollars" for the film.
In 1970, Gold Key Comics, an imprint of Western Publishing, published a comic book adaptation of Family Affair.
Merchandising efforts centered on Anissa Jones. Several books were published, including the 1970 hardback Family Affair: Buffy Finds A Star by Gladys Baker Bond and Buffy's Cookbook. There were dolls (Mattel's Talking Buffy, and Mrs. Beazley, Buffy's doll on the show) and various other toys.[3]
References
- ^ 1970–1971 Ratings
- ^ An "Affair" to Remember
- ^ Mansour, David (2005). From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 251. ISBN 0740751182. http://books.google.ca/books?id=hK0rPUF85loC&pg=PA251&lpg=PA251&dq=Family+Affair:+Buffy+Finds+a+Star&source=bl&ots=B0xhbUbGw_&sig=7NE3-XdMyqE15pMwMWm190S8acA&hl=en&ei=BLfVTO2hKJO-sQOl-MCNCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CC4Q6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Family%20Affair%3A%20Buffy%20Finds%20a%20Star&f=false. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
External links
- Family Affair (1966) at the Internet Movie Database
- Family Affair (2002) at the Internet Movie Database
- Family Affair (1966) at TV.com
- Family Affair (2002) at TV.com
- Family Affair – Classic TV website with Episode Guide, Theme and Gallery
- Apartment 27A – Family Affair Fan Page – Cast bios, collectibles, links and more on the 1960s television series Family Affair.
Categories:- 1966 television series debuts
- 1971 television series endings
- 2002 American television series debuts
- 2003 American television series endings
- 1960s American television series
- 1970s American television series
- 2000s American television series
- American television sitcoms
- CBS network shows
- English-language television series
- Television series by CBS Paramount Television
- Television series by NBC Universal Television
- Television series by Warner Bros. Television
- WB network shows
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