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Mama Malone

Mama Malone is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from March 7 to July 21, 1984. It was created by playwright Terrence McNally,[1] featured a theme song by Kander and Ebb,[2] and starred Lila Kaye in the title role as a New Yorker with a cooking show.[3]

Mama Malone
Created byTerrence McNally
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producers
  • Paul Bogart
  • Richard Lewis
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseMarch 7 (1984-03-07) –
July 21, 1984 (1984-07-21)

Premise

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The series' main character was Renate Malone (surname rhymed with "baloney"), Italian-American widow of an Irish-American policeman, thus the unusual pronunciation of her married name. She was the hostess of a home cooking show called Cooking with Mama Malone that was telecast live from her fourth-floor apartment in a Brooklyn tenement. Each episode began with her instructing her viewers on a recipe that was never completed because a parade of family members, friends, and acquaintances kept popping in to interrupt her and eat up the show's running time. Family problems and moral and social issues were discussed, and each episode played out in real-time.

Production

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Terrence McNally knew that there was money in television and aspired to give up life as a playwright and have a cushy life as a TV writer in Malibu.[4] There was snobbery in theatre groups over TV writers, so McNally hitched his star to the wagon of Norman Lear, who was an uncredited producer[4] and assembled a crew of veterans of All in the Family, including Paul Bogart, who directed all 13 episodes. Not knowing how television worked, McNally initially insisted on writing all of scripts himself,[4] but he ultimately penned seven of the teleplays, with the others knocked out by established TV writers, as well as fellow playwright Leonard Melfi.

Although the series is uncannily reminiscent of another ethnically based radio/TV series, The Goldbergs, McNally claimed that he was inspired by TV's French Chef, Julia Child.[5]

Initially, the show was slated to premiere in the fall of 1982,[6][7][8] but it was dropped from the schedule to make a slot for Filthy Rich,[9] which was an unexpected hit when its pilot episodes were burned off that summer.[10] It was rescheduled four times over the next year-and-a-half,[11] before ultimately debuting in the spring of 1984, two years after the pilot was produced.[12] By the time it premiered in the USA, it had already concluded its run in 17 other countries.[12] CBS paid to keep the cast under contract,[13] and there were concerns that Frankie would jump from age 12 to 14 if they show returned that fall,[12] but these proved to be unwarranted since the show debuted near the bottom of the Nielsen ratings and remained there for the entirety of its run. The series originally aired between One Day at a Time, which was wrapping up its nine-season run, and the CBS Wednesday Night Movie. After six episodes were broadcast, it was officially canceled. Additional episodes and a few reruns were broadcast that summer on Saturday nights.

Cast

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  • Lila Kaye as 'Mama' Renate Malone - The widow of an alcoholic policeman and the child of Italian immigrants, Renate is referred to as 'Mama' by most everyone (except her priest, who calls her 'The Godmother'). She can be brash (frequently asking, "Who else is gonna tell you these things?"), but she's the glue that holds her community together, and her loving nature tends to win everyone over. She has a bizarre obsession with actor James Garner.
  • Randee Heller as Connie Malone Karamkopoulos - Mama's headstrong daughter, who works at Paulo's Pizza Patio. She was briefly married a Greek man, but she left him when she discovered he was cheating on her. Has a crush on Father Jose.
  • Evan Richards as Frankie Karamkopoulos - Connie's 12-year-old son.
  • Don Amendolia as Dino Forresti - Mama's brother, a lounge singer who likes to create the illusion that he's more famous than he actually is. He drives an ostentatious car with a horn that plays the theme from The Godfather, has a mirrored ceiling in his apartment, and wears a toupee to disguise his bald head. He frequently stares into the camera and exclaims, "I didn't know that! Did you know that?"
  • Sam Anderson as Stanley - The show's announcer, who has a master's degree in drama from Yale and feels his talents are being wasted.
  • Raymond Singer as Austin - The show's director, who tries in vain to ensure Mama Malone completes a recipe.
  • Pendleton Brown as Ken - The show's associate director.
  • Joey Jupiter-Levin as Jackie - The show's production assistant.

Recurring

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  • Ralph Manza as Padre Guardiano - The senile priest has so much difficulty climbing the stairs to Mama's apartment that he's too winded to communicate.
  • Richard Yniguez as Father Jose Silva - The hip new Puerto Rican priest is the opposite of the decrepit padre; he insists on being called Jose rather than Father, wears short-shorts to play basketball with the local youth, and even sports a T-shirt with the poster art from The Exorcist.
  • Alice Ghostley as Nedda Cavalli - Mama Malone's gloomy best friend; the two have a catty love/hate relationship.
  • Paul Benedict as Calvin Klinger - The building's newest resident, who's initially repulsed by Mama Malone's media circus, although he's ultimately seduced by her charms.

Note: Manza and Yniguez both received star billing, but they only appeared in a handful of episodes.

US television ratings

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Season Episodes Start Date End Date Nielsen Rank Nielsen Rating[14] Tied With
1983-84 13 March 14, 1984 July 21, 1984 81 11.4 "Whiz Kids"

Note: The rating presented here comes from the TV ratings guide website and may not be completely accurate.

Episodes

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No. Title Directed by Written by Air date ProdCode
1"Pilot"Paul BogartTerrence McNallyMarch 7, 1984 (1984-03-07)7658
Father Silva reveals that Frankie stole his classmate's lunch money.
Rank: 54 Rating/Share: 12.1/20[15]
2"The Commitment"Paul BogartBernard Dilbert & Leonard MelfiMarch 14, 1984 (1984-03-14)82-104
Mama Malone freaks out when she finds out Dino is living with and dating a stripper (Stephanie Faracy).
Rank: 59 Rating/Share: 11.3/17[16]
3"Connie's Old Flame"Paul BogartTerrence McNallyMarch 21, 1984 (1984-03-21)82-102
Connie's been sneaking around with her old boyfriend because she knows her mother will disapprove.
Rank: 66 Rating/Share: 11.5/18[17]
4"Father Romeo"Paul BogartRobert Van ScoykApril 4, 1984 (1984-04-04)82-106
After Mama Malone's niece (Candice Azzara) seeks marital advice from Father Silva, her jealous husband (Robert Costanzo) causes a scene on the show.
Rank: 62 Rating/Share: 9.7/15[18]
5"The Education of Frankie"Paul BogartLynn Lathem & Bernard LechowickApril 18, 1984 (1984-04-18)82-112
When Frankie brings home a more mature girl (Melora Hardin), his family wonders if it's time to have the sex talk with him.
6"Karamakopoulos and Son"Paul BogartHarvey Weitzman & Sid DorfmanApril 25, 1984 (1984-04-25)82-107
Frankie's father is coming to visit for the first time in 8 years, but the boy's reaction is anger rather than happiness. Meanwhile, Stanley decides to change up his narration.
7"A New Neighbor"Paul BogartTerrence McNallyJune 9, 1984 (1984-06-09)82-105
New neighbor Calvin (Paul Benedict) hits the roof when he finds a bag of garbage in the hallway, and the situation escalates until Mama's dish is ruined and he's accused of being gay.
Rank:64 Rating/Share: 4.6/11[19]
8"Shall We Dance?"Paul BogartTerrence McNallyJune 16, 1984 (1984-06-16)82-108
Calvin asks Mama Malone to a dance, but when she declines, Nedda steps in. Meanwhile, Connie takes football quarterback Johnny Jupiter to the dance, Dino auditions for an opera, and Frankie gets a job at a bowling alley.
Rank: 66 Rating/Share: 5.1/12[20]
9"Even Dino Gets the Blues"Paul BogartTerrence McNallyJune 23, 1984 (1984-06-23)82-103
Dino says he's suicidal because he was booed off of the stage, but a deeper probe reveals that he suffered from erectile dysfunction. Meanwhile, Austin threatens to move the show to a studio if Mama can't complete her recipe.
Rank: 62 Rating/Share: 4.5/10[21]
10"Connie's Move"Paul BogartRichard FreimanJune 30, 1984 (1984-06-30)82-109
Everyone flips out when they learn that the school's stern nun, Sister Philomena (Sudie Bond), is on her way over, but it's only to encourage Connie to transfer Frankie into a prestigious Manhattan school.
Rank: 62 Rating/Share: 6.1/14[22]
11"Dino's Fan"Paul BogartHarriett Weiss & Patt SheaJuly 7, 1984 (1984-07-07)82-111
A deranged fan (Beverly Archer) shows up claiming to be Dino's girlfriend.
Rank: 64 Rating/Share: 4.7/11[23]
12"A Call from the Vatican"Paul BogartTerrence McNallyJuly 14, 1984 (1984-07-14)82-110
Mama orchestrates an 80th birthday party for Padre Guardiano that she hopes will include a phone call from the Pope.
Rank: 60 Rating/Share: 3.7/9[24]
13"Back to Basics"Paul BogartTerrence McNallyJuly 21, 1984 (1984-07-21)82-113
After learning that they're being awarded Brooklyn's Outstanding American Family of the Year, Mama Malone attempts to shoot a focused show with her family, but when a food fight erupts, she loses her cool.
Rank: 56 Rating/Share: 4.9/11[25]

Reception

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Reviews were mixed. Both McNally and producer Richard Lewis claimed that the early notices were glowing,[5] with Lewis claiming that CBS president Harvey Shephard was so impressed that he showed it at his class reunion, and that a Hong Kong critic wrote that he felt "happily compelled to stand up and salute" the show.[26] However, it was speculated that it sat on the shelf so long due to a poor critical reaction,[27] and one viewer at an ad-buyer's convention was quotes as saying, "It doesn't belong on the air."[28] Critic William Beamon wrote, "I didn't like Mama Malone way back when it was supposed to join the network's schedule during the 1982 fall season. Nearly a year and a half later, I still don't."[29]

On the flipside, The New York Times' John J. O'Connor gave it a favorable review, stating, "Miss Kaye is a marvel." Associated Press critic Fred Rothenberg remarked that it's "not an especially funny sitcom, but it is worth a look anyway because of its innovative format, family warmth (though exaggerated), and the dynamic performance of its star."[30]

References

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  1. ^ Terrence McNally: A Casebook by Toby Silverman Zinman, p.182
  2. ^ Television Introductions: Narrated TV Program Openings Since 1949 by Vincent Terrace, p.325
  3. ^ The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 728. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  4. ^ a b c A Man of Much Importance: The Art and Life of Terrence McNally by Chris Bryne
  5. ^ a b Terrence McNally: Mama Malone: A television series
  6. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, May 10, 1982, pp.35-36
  7. ^ National Enquirer - (1982/09/07) - Fall TV Preview
  8. ^ CBS 1982 (Great Moments) Promo
  9. ^ Nostalgia Central: Mama Malone
  10. ^ Granite City Press-Record, Headliners by Nancy Anderson, September 27, 1982, p.A6 (24)
  11. ^ CBS Dusts Off Mama Malone, Star-Phonenix, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, March 1, 1984, p.B5
  12. ^ a b c Producer of 'Mama Malone' mystified by delays, Defiance Crescent News, 22 February, 1984
  13. ^ 'Mama Malone' Well Worth Watching, Kentucky New Era, March 8, 1984, p.7C
  14. ^ "1983-84 Ratings History -- The Networks Are Awash in a Bubble Bath of Soaps".
  15. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, March 19, 1984, p.62
  16. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, March 26, 1984, p.54
  17. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, April 2, 1984, p.66
  18. ^ Broadcast Magazine, April 16, 1984, p.72
  19. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, June 18, 1984, p.40
  20. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, June 25, 1984, p.54
  21. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, July 2, 1984, p.60
  22. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, July 9, 1984, p.58
  23. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, July 16, 1984, p.57
  24. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, July 23, 1984, p.102
  25. ^ Broadcasting Magazine, July 30, 1984, p.46
  26. ^ Delays Hound Series, Record-Journal, Meriden, CT., February 22, 1984, p.23
  27. ^ Inner Tube by Steve K. Waltz, Take-One: A Guide to Local Television Programming, The Sunday Times Sentinel, September 19, 1982, p.6
  28. ^ Television/Radio Age 1982-06-14: Vol 29 Iss 21, p.84
  29. ^ If it's misadventures CBS seeks, network has it in 'Mama Malone', William Beamon, St. Petersberg Independent, March 7, 1984, p.19B
  30. ^ 'Mama Malone' Well Worth Watching, Kentucky New Era, March 8, 1984 p.7C
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