An American family

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Television series
German title An American family
Original title Family
Country of production United States
original language English
Year (s) 1976-1980
length 45 minutes
Episodes 86, of which 49 are in German
genre Family series
idea Aaron Spelling
production Aaron Spelling , Mike Nichols , Edward Zwick , Leonard Goldberg, Carroll Newman, Marshall Herskovitz , Carol Evan McKeand, Nigel McKeand
music John Rubinstein , Pete Rugolo , Mark Snow
First broadcast March 9, 1976 (USA) on ABC
German-language
first broadcast		 July 8, 1979 on ARD
occupation

An American family (original title: Family ) is an American television series filmed from 1976 to 1980, which was also broadcast on German television from 1979 to 1981.

action

The Lawrence family from Pasadena, California is a typical American middle class family of the 1970s. Father Doug, around 50, works as a lawyer, mother Kate is a housewife who studied music at a young age and dropped out because of the children. After a short marriage, the eldest daughter Nancy divorces her unfaithful husband Jeff Maitland and moves back in with her parents with son Timmy. She later starts a relationship with Jeff again and becomes pregnant again by him, but decides not to marry him a second time. Her younger brother Willie, on the cusp of growing up, is dying to become a writer and has constant problems with various girlfriends. Baby Letitia, called "Buddy", is accompanied by the series through puberty, from school problems to the first love joys and sorrows. When the Lawrences take in their sponsored child, the eleven-year-old orphan girl Annie, the family faces new challenges. The series describes the ups and downs of grief, conflict and happy moments in the life of an average family.

background

For several years, the producers, including Aaron Spelling , Mike Nichols , Edward Zwick and Leonard Goldberg, could not find a television station who wanted to implement their series project; the plot was criticized as being too realistic and too "harmless". Eventually the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) was ready to make the series.

Family was originally only planned as a five-part miniseries that aired on ABC from March 9 through April 13, 1976. In the summer of 1976 the production of further episodes began. In total there were four other seasons, which were broadcast from autumn to spring in 1976/77, 1977/78, 1978/79 and 1979/80. The last and a total of 86th episode was broadcast on June 25, 1980.

actor

With James Broderick (father of Matthew Broderick ), Sada Thompson and Meredith Baxter actors were engaged who were already recognized and renowned in the USA. The successful broadcast of the series in Germany, accompanied by regular reporting in the youth magazine Bravo , made them popular here too. Gary Frank and Kristy McNichol made their breakthrough as well-known actors with An American Family . Gary Frank and Carroll Newman, one of the producers, married in August 1976. John Rubinstein (* 1946), son of Arthur Rubinstein , was not only responsible for the music, but also played "Jeff Maitland", the husband of "Nancy Lawrence Maitland ". In the original five-part miniseries Elaine Heilveil was used as the actress of "Nancy", Meredith Baxter replaced her from the second season. Charles Lane appeared as the grandfather "James Lawrence".

Awards

Gary Frank (1977) and Sada Thompson (1978) each received one Emmy , and Kristy McNichol even received two Emmys (1977 and 1979). Quinn Cummings received the 1981 Young Artist Award for Best Teenage Lead Actress in a TV Series of 1980, after both she and Kristy McNichol were nominated for the first award the year before. Several other American television awards went to the series, there were nominations for a total of seven Golden Globe Awards and for other Emmys.

German version

Of the original 86 series episodes, only 49 were broadcast between October 1978 and May 1981 in the early evening programs of the ARD's First Program, which were still regionally split . There were repetitions in 1983 (35 episodes) on Südwest 3 (today SWR TV ) and 1993–94 (49 episodes) on TV.München .

Litigation

An American family was the subject of one of the longest-running legal battles in television history. In 1977, screenwriter Jeri Emmet Laird sued producer Aaron Spelling, alleging that he illegally extracted the content of the first episode from a script she had written and sent him. However, the action was not admitted due to formal errors. After unsuccessful legal complaints against this non-admission, Laird sued her lawyers for damages on the grounds that without their mistake she would have won the case against Spelling. In 1983 a court sentenced the attorneys to pay Jeri Emmet Laird US $ 1,690,000, but in 1992 an appeals court dismissed her from the compensation.

In 1996, Aaron Spelling wrote in his autobiography My Prime-Time Life that the idea for the series came to him while he was sitting in his kitchen with Leonard Goldberg. Then he hired the writer Jay Presson Allen (1922-2006) to write the script for the first episode. Jeri then sued Emmet Laird Spelling again for claiming that Jay Presson Allen was not the author. In 1997 the action was initially dismissed, but in 1999 the appellate court allowed the action to be heard in principle, provided that an amended complaint was received that clarified the damage alleged by Laird. This amended complaint was again dismissed in November 2001. Laird's attorney has announced that she will file a complaint with the California Supreme Court . It is not yet publicly known whether further legal steps have been taken.

Episode list

season 1

No. (total) No. (season) Episode title Original title First broadcast (Germany) First broadcast (USA)
1 1 The best years Pilot: The Best Years October 10, 1978 March 9, 1976
2 2 Afraid of monday Monday is forever 17th October 1978 March 16, 1976
3 3 - A special kind of loving - March 23, 1976
4th 4th - A Right and Proper Goodbye - March 30, 1976
5 5 - Thursday's Child - April 6, 1976
6th 6th time to think Point of departure October 24, 1978 April 13, 1976

season 2

No. (total) No. (season) Episode title Original title First broadcast (Germany) First broadcast (USA)
7th 1 - Coming apart - October 6, 1976
8th 2 decisions Find Sweet Sorrow November 7, 1978 19th October 1976
9 3 The competition Home Movies 5th December 1978 October 26, 1976
10 4th developments Coming of Age November 14, 1978 November 9, 1976
11 5 The jury Jury Duty: Part 1 November 21, 1978 November 16, 1976
12 6th Consequences of a judgment Jury Duty: Part 2 November 28, 1978 November 23, 1976
13 7th Salina's return The Cradle Will Fall February 6, 1979 November 30, 1976
14th 8th Father's sister Skeleton in the Closet October 31, 1978 7th December 1976
15th 9 - On the First Day of Christmas - December 21, 1976
16 10 - Rites of Friendship - December 28, 1976
17th 11 What else will be An Eye to the Future December 12, 1978 4th January 1977
18th 12 Encounters Lovers and Strangers December 19, 1978 January 11, 1977
19th 13 What once was Return commitment January 9, 1979 January 18, 1977
20th 14th - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall ... - 1st February 1977
21st 15th - Someone's Watching - February 8, 1977
22nd 16 - A safe house - February 15, 1977
23 17th Friendships Best friends 2nd January 1979 February 22, 1977
24 18th - Taking Chances: Part 1 - March 1, 1977
25th 19th - Taking Chances: Part 2 - March 8, 1977
26th 20th - Coming and going - March 22, 1977
27 21st - ... More Things in Heaven and Earth - March 29, 1977
28 22nd husbands An endangered species January 16, 1979 May 3, 1977

season 3

No. (total) No. (season) Episode title Original title First broadcast (Germany) First broadcast (USA)
29 1 - Acts of Love: Part 1 - September 13, 1977
30th 2 - Acts of Love: Part 2 - 20th September 1977
31 3 Goodbye childhood The first time January 23, 1979 September 27, 1977
32 4th Mixed feelings Change of Heart January 30, 1979 4th October 1977
33 5 Annie Laurie Annie Laurie May 6, 1983 October 25, 1977
34 6th Stay, Miss Jessup! We love you, Miss Jessup May 27, 1983 November 1, 1977
35 7th - The Little Brother - November 8, 1977
36 8th Visit from Chicago Childhood's End February 13, 1979 November 15, 1977
37 9 A case for the police A tale out of season May 20, 1983 November 22, 1977
38 10 - Laboratories of Love - November 29, 1977
39 11 - A Child Is Given - December 13, 1977
40 12 - More Than Friends - January 3, 1978
41 13 - Princess in the Tower - January 10, 1978
42 14th - Echoes of Love - 17th January 1978
43 15th - See Saw - January 24, 1978
44 16 In the last minute Lifeline January 6, 1994 January 31, 1978
45 17th A new beginning ... And Baby Makes Three January 27, 1994 February 7, 1978
46 18th Willie's birthday Crossing over June 3, 1983 February 14, 1978
47 19th - The Covenant - February 21, 1978
48 20th A family friend A Friend of the Family's December 23, 1993 February 28, 1978
49 21st The nightmare Fear of Shadows January 13, 1994 May 2, 1978
50 22nd - Sleeping Gypsy - May 9, 1978
51 23 - Counterpoint - May 16, 1978

Season 4

No. (total) No. (season) Episode title Original title First broadcast (Germany) First broadcast (USA)
52 1 The family photo Starting over June 17, 1983 September 21, 1978
53 2 Blondes preferred All for love June 24, 1983 September 28, 1978
54 3 The second attempt Changes February 17, 1994 October 12, 1978
55 4th - Magic - October 19, 1978
56 5 - Just friends - November 9, 1978
57 6th The farm in the mountains Generations August 19, 1983 November 23, 1978
58 7th Wrong expectations Expectations July 1, 1983 7th December 1978
59 8th - Gifts - December 21, 1978
60 9 The thing with Marilyn The Friend's Affair July 15, 1983 4th January 1979
61 10 Kate's girlfriend Exits and Entrances August 12, 1983 January 11, 1979
62 11 - Moment of truth - January 18, 1979
63 12 The suspicion Malicious mischief September 9, 1983 January 25, 1979
64 13 Harpo Sleeping over July 22, 1983 1st February 1979
65 14th Disco queen Disco queen 2nd September 1983 February 8, 1979
66 15th Jake McAllister The athlete September 16, 1983 March 1, 1989
67 16 - The Competition - March 8, 1979
68 17th - ballerina - March 15, 1979
69 18th Nancy's exam Diversions August 26, 1983 March 22, 1979
70 19th - To Apple for the Teacher - March 30, 1979
71 20th The competition Prelude July 29, 1983 April 20, 1979
72 21st - Going straight - May 10, 1979
73 22nd - From Russia with Love - 17th May 1979

Season 5

No. (total) No. (season) Episode title Original title First broadcast (Germany) First broadcast (USA)
74 1 Dad's father Thanksgiving October 21, 1983 November 20, 1979
75 2 In these days 'Tis the season April 14, 1994 December 24, 1979
76 3 Jack the Conqueror Jack of Hearts September 23, 1983 January 14, 1980
77 4th Before the decision When the Bough Breaks May 8, 1994 January 21, 1980
78 5 Tough days Hard Times November 4th 1983 January 28, 1980
79 6th Rumors Whispers April 24, 1994 4th February 1980
80 7th - Play on love - March 3, 1980
81 8th - Daylight serenade - March 10, 1980
82 9 Credit to Jeff Find a fine line June 12, 1994 March 17, 1980
83 10 - The Ties That Bind - 4th June 1980
84 11 Like in the old days Just Like Old Times October 14, 1983 June 11, 1980
85 12 Annie is the best Smarts October 7, 1983 June 18, 1980
86 13 Grow up Letting go November 11, 1983 June 25, 1980

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ metnews.com , accessed on January 11 of 2007.