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Show
Guide: Hello Larry
Synopsis:
Following the breakup of his marriage, radio talk-show host
Larry Alder moved from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon, to get a
fresh start. He landed a job at radio station KLOW, where Morgan
Winslow became the producer of his phone-in talk show. Earl was
Larry's obese engineer.
Larry had been
given custody of his two daughters, 13-year-old Ruthie and 16-year-old
Diane. Glib and in total control on the air, he was much less sure
of himself at home as the single parent of two maturing girls. Leona,
a school teacher and neighbor, tried to bring a little of the woman's
touch to this chaotic household. Larry's ex-wife Marion (Shelly
Fabares) also turned up occasionally.
Added to the
regular cast in the fall of 1979 were former Harlem Globetrotters
basketball star Meadowlark Lemon, playing himself as owner of a
sporting goods store, and Tommy, a 14-year-old neighbor. In February
1980 Larry's retired father, Henry, also moved in.
Hello, Larry's
time slot on the NBC schedule was right after the much more popular
Diff'rent Strokes. Since both shows were produced by Tandem
Productions, and Larry needed a boost, it was established that Larry
Alder and Diff'rent Strokes' Philip Drummond were old army
buddies, and that Drummond's company had purchased the radio station
where Larry worked.
The producers
hoped that by having the casts of the two shows appear together
in crossover episodes the much larger Diff'rent Strokes audience
would be attracted to Hello, Larry. It never happened.
The Cast:
McLean Stevenson as Larry Alder
Ruth Brown as Leona Wilson
Krista Errickson as Diane Alder (1979-1980)
Shelley Fabares as Marion
John Femia as Tommy Roscini (1979-1980)
Joanna Gleason as Morgan Winslow
Meadowlark Lemon as Meadowlark Lemon (1979-1980)
George Memmoli as Earl
Kim Richards as Ruthie Alder
Fred Stuthman as Henry Alder (1980)
Donna Wilkes as Diane Alder (1979)
Production
Credits:
Directed by: Doug Rogers
Produced by:
Dick Bensfield (executive producer)
Rita Dillon (producer)
Perry Grant (executive producer)
Woody Kling (producer)
Patricia Fass Palmer (producer)
George Tibbles (executive producer)
Broadcast
Information:
35 half hour episodes aired on NBC between January 26th, 1979 and
April 30th, 1980. There were also six "crossover" episodes
on Diff'rent Strokes.
Time Slots:
Jan 1979-Feb 1979 NBC Fri 9:30-10:00PM
Feb 1979-Aug 1979 NBC Fri 8:30-9:00PM
Oct 1979 NBC Fri 8:30-9:00PM
Oct 1979-Apr 1980 NBC Wed 9:30-10:00PM
Episode Guide:
Season One, 1979
1-1 How To
Not To--01/26/1979
Diane's boyfriend is putting much pressure on her to go all the
way.
Writers: Dick Bensfield & Perry Grant
Guest Stars: Joe Medalis as Engineer; Christian Zika as Bobby
1-2 The Final Papers--02/02/1979
Larry receives his final divorce papers and struggles with his emotions.
Teleplay: Milt Rosen
Story: Dick Bensfield & Perry Grant
Guest Stars: Anne Sweeny as Greta; Sherri Spillane as Lori;
Carolos Brown as Max
1-3 The Hitchhiker--02/09/1979
A homesick Diane begins to miss her boyfriend in L.A. So, she decides
to hitch her way back.
Writers: Dick Bensfield & Perry Grant
Guest Star: Brad Trumbull as the Policeman
1-4 Mother
Morgan--02/16/1979
Diane and Ruthie begin to miss their mom and Morgan helps fill the
void.
Writer: Howard Albrecht
1-5 The
New Kid--02/23/1979
Parsons as Debbie Ruthie is rejected at school by her friends as
they learn her dad is the local outspoken talk-show host.
Writer: George Tibbles
Guest Stars: Kerry Muir as Olivia Julie; Anne Huddock as
Phyllis Jamie Anne
1-6 Ruthie's
First Crush--03/02/1979
Ruthie and her friend Eric develop a case of puppy love and aren't
sure how to react.
Writer: George Tibbles
Guest Star: Geno Andrews as Eric Miller
10-7 Larry's
First Date--03/09/1979
Recently divorced Larry goes on a date with Morgan's sister much
to Morgan's worry.
Writer: Martin Cohan
Guest Stars: Jan Shutan as Laura Winslow; Christopher Thomas
as the Waiter
1-8 Peer
Pressure--03/16/1979
It's feared that Diane is on uppers when Larry finds them in her
purse.
Writer: Lois Hire
Guest Star: Karen Obidiear as Cindy
1-9 Leona
The New Neighbor--03/23/1979
New tenant Leona moves into Larry's building and aids his daughters
but angers him.
Writer: George Tibbles
Guest Star: Ruth Brown as Leona Wilson
1-10 The
Triangle--04/06/1979
Before a party at the Alders', Ruthie's boyfriend Eric gets a crush
on Diane.
Teleplay: George Tibbles
Story: Celia Bonaduce & Anthony Bonaduce
Guest Star: Geno Andrews as Eric Miller
1-11 Larry's
Bad Back
1-12 Rap
With Ruthie
Ruthie gets to do her own radio talk-show for a school project.
She uses Larry's radio show airtime.
Guest Star: Ruth Brown as Leona
1-13 My Sister
The Criminal
Season Two
2-1 Hello, Marion (Part 1 fo 3)
Larry's ex-wife Marion comes to visit while Larry has to leave town
with Morgan on a business trip.
Guest Starrs: Shelley Fabares as Marion; John Femia as Tommy;
Zale Kessler as Desk Clerk
2-2 Hello,
Marion (Part 2 of 3)
Ruthie keeps hoping her parents will get back together and tries
much persuasion. Larry and Marion go out and have an interesting
night.
Guest Stars: Shelley Fabares as Marion; John Femia as Tommy;
Lee Delano as Raoul
2-3 Goodbye,
Marion (Part 3 of 3)
Larry and Marion announce they are getting re-married. However,
they run into problems on where they will live and work.
Guest Actors: Shelley Fabares as Marion; John Femia as Tommy
2-4 Ruthie
Grows Up (Part 1 of 2)
Diane, thinking Ruthie is too much of a tomboy, gets Ruthie persuaded
to go to a school dance and soon enough Ruthie develops a crush.
2-5 Ruthie
Grows Up (Part 2 of 2)
2-6 The Nude
Emcee
Larry, in dire need of funds to buy a house for his daughters, is
offered big money to be a nude emcee for a nude beauty contest.
Writers: Jay Sommers & Dick Chevillat
Guest Stars: Dorothy Green as Mrs. Boylston; Anulka Fox Sales
as Francie
2-7 Morgan
The Boss
Morgan becomes Larry's boss and Larry is jealous of her new position
and promotion.
2-8 Marion's
Fiancé
Marion's new fiancé comes to visit and mentions he and Marion will
be seeking shared custody of the girls (6 months of the year).
2-9 Diane
Drinks
Trouble arises when Diane develops a drinking problem. ----------------
2-10 Tommy
The Houseguest
Tommy has to temporarily move in with the Alders' while his mother
is away.
2-11 Larry's
Father
Larry's father moves in and against Larry's wishes - gives Diane
money to buy a car.
2-12 Money
From Home
Larry's ex-wife sends a sizeable check to help him buy a house for
his daughters and challenges his pride.
Writer: Milt Rosen
Guest Star: Will Hunt as Wendell
2-13 The
Neighbor Dies
Ruthie gets in a fight with her new piano teacher who is much disliked,
he dies after their argument and she feels responsible.
Teleplay by: Doug Tibbles & Barbara Tibbles
Story by: Ralph Phillips, George Tibbles and Barbara Tibbles
Guest Stars: Walter Burke as Mr. Vandervellen; Frank Vohs
as Ed
2-14 The
Blind Friend
Morgan's blind nephew gets a sympathetic Ruthie to be his date.
2-15 Love
Around The Corner
Larry meets a female tenant (who happens to be Tommy's mother) in
his buidling's laundry room and things get serious.
Writers: Woody Kling & George Tibbles
Guest Stars: Rita Taggart as Marie; Maxine Elliot as Mrs.
Simpson
2-16 Larry's
Mid-Life Crisis (Part 1 of 3)
Larry uses his radio show to protest destruction of a local hotel
housing senior citizens. He winds up in jail and is fired from his
job.
Guest Stars: Will Hunt as Wendell; Gerry Black as The Officer;
John Bloom as The Big Guy; Georgia Schmidt as Mrs. Wendover; Chao-Li
Chi as Mr. Wong; Jane Chung as Mrs. Wong; Margarita Garcia as Mrs.
Garcia
2-17 Larry's
Mid-Life Crisis (Part 2 of 3)
Larry seeks new job offers after the loss of his job.
Writers: Al Gordon & Jack Mendelson
Guest Stars: Terry McGovern as Buddy Summers; Cameron Young
as Gary Cushing
2-18 Larry's
Mid-Life Crisis (Part 3 of 3)
Morgan also finds herself jobless and Larry confronts the station's
boss's son in order to at least get her job back with the station.
Guest Stars: Dave Landsberg as Barton III; Parley Baer as
Barton Sr.
2-19 The
Rock Star (Part 1 of 2)
Diane meets and falls for a rock star and may be leaving home for
him.
Guest Stars: Joey Travolta as Curt Stone; George O'Hanlan
Jr. as Rick; Robyn Petty as The Blue-Haired Girl; Jeff Seymour as
The Kissing Boy; Laura Urstein as The First Girl; Sandy Rosenberg
as The Second Girl; Susan Vickery as The Fourth Girl.
2-20 The
Rock Star (Part 2 of 2)
Diane must decide between her new love (the rock star) and her family.
Guest Stars: Joey Travolta as Curt Stone; George O'Hanlan
as Rick; Clyde Kusatsu as The Hotel Clerk; Joseph Perry as Detective
Raskin; Peggy Mondo as The Large Lady; Randy Edelman as Teddy; Kipp
Cochran as Security Guard
2-21 The
Protegé
Tommy asks Larry for advice on women. Soon, Tommy is in trouble
at school for kissing a girl in a broom closet.
Guest Actor: Barbara Cason as Miss Putman
2-22 The
Yearning
Morgan's new secretary dates Larry's father and we find that marriage
is in their plans.
Trivia:
***NBC reran Hello, Larry in two hour blocks in their late night
weekend movie slot in the summer and fall of 1981 (the show had
been cancelled in the spring of 1980).
***On a Jenny Jones show in the fall of 1998, Lisa Whelchel (Blair
from The Facts of Life")
was talking about how she was offered the part of Diane for the
second season of Hello, Larry. She had auditioned for the role as
the original girl (Donna Wilkes) apparently had some drug problems
and other issues.
*** In 1980, Joanna Gleason and McLean Stevenson appeared on the
game show Password Plus
together and teamed up against Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawrence,
best of all they were dressed as their tv characters and called
by their character names, e.g., Larry and Morgan, Carol and Vickie
also dressed like the Mama's Family skit from the Carol
Burnett Show.
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