Thursday, December 11, 2014

ABC Schedules Fresh Off the Boat for February Premiere; Remembering Mary Ann Mobley and Ken Weatherwax

Fresh Off the Boat

ABC announced the premiere date today for new half hour comedy Fresh Off the Boat. Inspired by Eddie Huang's best-selling memoir by the same name, Fresh Off the Boat will be sampled twice in ABC's Wednesday night comedy block on Wednesday, February 4 at both 8:30pm and 9:31pm following The Middle & Modern Family, followed by its time slot premiere on Tuesday, February 10 at 8:00pm ET. It's 1995 and 11-year-old hip-hop loving Eddie Huang (Hudson Yang) has just moved with his family from Chinatown in Washington D.C. to suburban Orlando. They quickly discover things are very different there. Orlando doesn't even have a Chinatown -- unless you count the Huang house. Eddie's dad, Louis (Randall Park), has dragged the family to the 'burbs to pursue his version of the American dream, opening Cattleman's Ranch Steakhouse, a struggling western-themed restaurant. Louis thinks that the best way to get customers in the door is to hire a white host to greet them and make them feel comfortable. Eddie's mom, Jessica (Constance Wu), has agreed to the move, but she finds Orlando a strange place -- from the rollerblading stay-at-home moms, to the hospital-like grocery stores, to the fact that the humidity has ruined her hair.

Inspired by a true story, Fresh Off the Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery and Ian Chen as Evan. Eddie Huang provides the voice over narration. Fresh Off the Boat was written by Nahnatchka Khan (Don't Trust the B--- In Apartment 23), who also serves as executive producer.


Mary Ann Mobley

Actress Mary Ann Mobley, who appeared as Maggie McKinney Drummond in the final season of Diff'rent Strokes, has died. She died at her home in Beverly Hills, California on December 9 from breast cancer. Ms. Mobley was 77.

Mobley won the Miss America crown in 1959, the first Mississippian to achieve this honor. Her film credits from 1964-1968 included Get Yourself a Girl, Girl Happy (with Elvis Presley), Harum Scarum (with Elvis Presley), Young Dillinger, Three on a Couch and For Singles Only. She won the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer in 1965.

She made multiple guest appearances in Burke's Law, Perry Mason, Mission: Impossible, Run for Your Life, The Sixth Sense, Love, American Style, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat and Falcon Crest. Some of her other television guest appearances included General Hospital, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Virginian, Iron Horse, Ironside, Police Story, Vega$, Matt Houston, Hotel and Dead Like Me. Her sitcom guest appearances included The Partridge Family, Designing Women, Hearts Afire, Hardball and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.

Diff'rent Strokes Cast - 1985-1986 ABC

Mobley had a recurring role as Maggie McKinney Drummond, the wife of Phillip Drummond (Conrad Bain), in ten episodes in the final season of Diff'rent Strokes, which aired on ABC in 1985-1986. She replaced Dixie Carter in the role. Mobley had previously played Arnold's teacher and Drummond's love interest Nancy Osborne in the second season episode "Teacher's Pet."

She was married to actor Gary Collins from 1967 until his death in 2012. Survivors include their daughter, Clancy Collins White; a stepdaughter, Melissa Collins; a stepson, Guy William Collins; a sister, Sandra Young; and two stepgrandsons, Garrett and Gaston.

Ken Weatherwax Ken Weatherwax

Actor Ken Weatherwax, who played Pugsley Addams in The Addams Family, has died. He died on December 7 of a heart attack at his home in West Hills, California. Mr. Weatherwax was 59.

Weatherwax appeared as Puglsey Addams, the oldest child of Morticia and Gomez Addams, in The Addams Family. The popular sitcom ran for two seasons on ABC from 1964-1966. Pugsley was known for wearing striped shirts and shorts. He reunited with the cast in the 1977 NBC TV movie Halloween with the New Addams Family. He played Puglsey Addams, Sr., who had become a witch doctor.

At the age of 17, he entered the U.S. Army. He later worked in Hollywood behind the camera as a movie studio grip and set builder. He also made appearances at fan conventions and Addams Family-related events.

Survivors include his brother Joey D. Vieira (also known as Donald Keeler), an actor who appeared in Lassie; a niece, Shanyn Vieira; and a nephew.

We thank them for the entertainment they brought us. They will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Diff'rent Strokes and The Addams Family message boards.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, September 23

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 22)

Tuesday, September 23

  • Regina Hall (Black Monday/Grandfathered/Married/Second Generation Wayans) - Catch Regina on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Bobby Cannavale (Angie Tribeca/Will & Grace) - Bobby appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Matt Rogers (No Good Deed/I Love That for You) and Bowen Yang (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) - Matt and Bowen are Day Drinking on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Helen Hong (The Thundermans/The Unicorn) and Jay Mohr (Gary Unmarried/Action/Camp Wilder) - Helen and Jay are guests on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Jane Krakowski (Schmigadoon!/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/30 Rock) - Jane appears on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
  • Zachary Quinto (Big Mouth/So Notorious) - Zachary is a guest on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) - Jane appears on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Brett Goldstein (Shrinking/Ted Lasso) - Brett is telling Drew about his new movie All of You on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Erika Alexander (Run the World/Living Single/The Cosby Show) - Erika talks about her new podcast ReLiving Single and shares an EXCLUSIVE first look at the new season of Invasion on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Kym Whitley (Act Your Age/Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym pitches all the reasons why eligible bachelors should date her bestie, Sherri, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Tembi Locke (Like Family/Raising Dad/Claude's Crib) - Tembi talks about Someday, Now: A Memoir of Family, Reclaiming Possibility, and One Sicilian Summer on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry chats about his children's book Detective Duck: The Mystery at Emerald Pond on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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