227 (TV series)
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| 227 | |
|---|---|
| Image:227 intro.jpg Opening title sequence for 227 | |
| Format | Sitcom |
| Created by | Marla Gibbs (adapted by a play from Christine Houston |
| Developed by | Marla Gibbs Bob Myer Bob Young Richard Gurman |
| Starring | Marla Gibbs Hal Williams Alaina Reed Hall Helen Martin Regina King Curtis Baldwin Jackée Harry (Season 1-4) Countess Vaughn (Season 4) Toukie A. Smith (Season 5) Stoney Jackson (Season 5) Kevin Peter Hall (Season 5) Barry Sobel (Season 5) Paul Winfield (Season 5) Kia Goodwin (Season 1) |
| Country of origin | Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States |
| No. of episodes | 116 (List of 227 episodes) |
| Production | |
| Associate Producer(s) | Embassy Television (1985-1988) Sony Pictures Television (1988-1990) |
| Running time | 30 Minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | NBC |
| Original run | September 14, 1985 – May 6, 1990 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Everybody Hates Chris Good Times Family Matters |
| External links | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
227 is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985 until May 6, 1990. the series starred five-time Emmy-nominee Marla Gibbs who shot to fame as Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons. the series was produced by Embassy Television from 1985 until 1988. Then Columbia Tristar Television (now known as Sony Pictures Television) produced 227 from 1988 until the series ending in 1990.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
The series was adapted from a play written by Christine Houston about the lives of women in a predominantly black apartment building in Chicago. The setting of the series, however, was changed to Washington, D.C.. Although the play was set in the 1950s, and ran production the late 1970s.
The show was created as a starring vehicle for Marla Gibbs, who had become famous as the sassy maid Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons and had starred in Houston's play in Los Angeles. This role was similar in nature to that of tart-tongued Florence; Gibbs' character, housewife Mary Jenkins, loved a good gossip and often spoke what she thought, with sometimes not-so-favorable results.
[edit] Synopsis
Marla Gibbs portrayed the lead role, Mary Jenkins, a former housewife who lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Lester Jenkins, a construction worker, played by Hal Williams, and their 14-year old studious intelligent daughter, Brenda, played by future superstar Regina King in her first nationwide acting role.
Also cast in 227 was Emmy Award-winning television actress, Jackée Harry, as the building's sexy vamp, Sandra Clark, who was always man-wise, and most of the time, bickering back and fourth with Mary about their habitss although they learned to like each other later in the series. Helen Martin arrived to play Pearl Shay, a crotchety, kind busybody neighbor, who was always known for snooping and leaving much of the gossip to Mary and Rose, and had a grandson named Calvin Dobbs, played by Curtis Baldwin, who Brenda had a crush on, and would finally date towards the final three seasons.
Alaina Reed Hall, gradually playing the role as Olivia on Sesame Street from 1976 until 1988, played kind, sweetheart best friend to all Mary, Pearl and Sandra, Rose Lee Holloway, who had a daughter named Tiffany, played by Kia Goodwin, who disappeared after the first season, and the writers written off Rose not having a daughter after the second season when Kia Goodwin just made a couple of appearances as Tiffany. Rose who halfway the first season became the unexpected landlord until the end of the fourth season, after the building's stingy, and very untrustworthy landlord Mr. Calloway (who was never seen, except mentioned) died out of the blue.
In the first season, both Helen Martin and Curtis Baldwin appeared almost throughout the entire season's 22 episodes, mostly Helen Martin, when she appeared as Pearl in the first season. In the second season's opening credits is changed with Helen Martin and Curtis Baldwin offically becoming full-time cast members, and Martin has her own title for the third and fifth (final) season, and Regina King and Curtis Baldwin share a title card together in the third and fifth season, as well.
By the time the show got to filming the third season in 1987, Jackée Harry, who had just won an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress, changed her name to Jackée, which she goes by until 1994. And the storylines involved the Jenkins' family having their very first houseguest, who is not seen at all during the third season. In the fourth season, famed TV actress, Countess Vaughn played and joined the cast as Alexandria DeWitt, an 11-year old college appliant who is very intelligent, and becomes the houseguest of the Jenkinses, Alexandria, left with no explanation given. By the fourth season was almost over in 1989, Jackée Harry and Marla Gibbs was battling with each other about 227's focus on the Sandra character, or Jackée's own show. NBC aired Jackée Harry's television pilot entitled Jackée, which the character Sandra has moved to New York City only to find out that she gets a job at the spa. NBC aired the episode on Primetime on Thursday May 11, 1989. Harry's pilot was rejected and she was glad. and in the final season Toukie Smith, Barry Sobel, Stoney Jackson, Kevin Peter Hall and Paul Winfield all joined the cast.
[edit] Guest Stars
227 had many popular guest stars, some who would gain recognition for playing their roles in films, and television.
[edit] Popularity
227, Amen, Empty Nest, The Golden Girls, The Facts of Life and Hunter were all among the more popular Saturday night television shows of the late 1980s. However, 227 and Amen were the only two African-American series to acquire such high ratings, perhaps thanks to the existing fame of the shows' stars. In one 1988 episode, Gibbs' fellow Jeffersons alumnus Sherman Hemsley played a character who treated Mary like a maid (reminiscent of her role as a maid in The Jeffersons).
[edit] In Popular Culture
On Saturday Night Live, Jackée Harry and Marla Gibbs were portrayed by Ellen Cleghorne in sketches.
[edit] Nielsen Ratings
- 1985-1986 Season: #18
- 1986-1987 Season: #14
- 1987-1988 Season: #6
- 1988-1989 Season: #27
- 1989-1990 Season: #29
[edit] Theme song
The theme song to 227 was written by television songwriter Ray Colcord, who went on to write the themes to The Torkelsons, Boy Meets World, and Promised Land. It was called "There's No Place Like Home", and was sung by series star Marla Gibbs. During the show's entire run, the show's theme song was changed after the first season, then, starting with the second season, at the end of the song ends with "Ooh!"
[edit] Episodes
This is a list of the episodes that have aired from September 14, 1985 until May 6, 1990.
[edit] Syndication
The show has aired in syndication since 1990 and is currently leased through The Program Exchange. Reruns have aired on TV One since January 19, 2004. Cable channels BET and TV Land aired the show in the past as well.
[edit] DVD release
On September 28, 2004, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the complete first season of 227 on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time. Due to poor sales, it is unknown if the remaining four seasons will ever be released.
| Season | Release Date | Ep# |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | September 28, 2004 | 22 |
| Season 2 | 22 | |
| Season 3 | 22 | |
| Season 4 | 22 | |
| Season 5 | 22 |
[edit] Awards and Nominations
BMI Film & TV Awards
- Won: Ray Colcord (1987)
- Nominated: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Jackée (1988)
- Won: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Jackée (1987)
- Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV, Jackée Harry (1989)
- Nominated: Best Young Actress Featured, Co-starring, Supporting, Recurring Role in a Comedy or Drama Series or Special, Countess Vaughn (1989)
- Nominated: Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor, Guest Starring in a Television, Comedy or Drama Series, Curtis Baldwin (1987)
- Nominated: Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress in a Long Running Series Comedy or Drama, Regina King (1987)
- Nominated: Best Young Actress Starring in a New Television Series, Regina King (1986)
[edit] External links
- Information about 227 from The Museum of Broadcast Communications
- 227 at TV.com
- 227 at Tvland.comsh:227 (TV serija)
Categories: Articles needing additional references from October 2007 | 227 characters | 1985 television series debuts | 1990 television series endings | 1980s American television series | 1990s American television series | American comedy television series | Black sitcoms | NBC network shows | American television sitcoms | Television programs based on plays | Television series by Sony Pictures Television | Television shows set in Washington, D.C.
