Thursday, December 11, 2014
ABC Schedules Fresh Off the Boat for February Premiere; Remembering Mary Ann Mobley and Ken Weatherwax
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.
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.
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.
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
Friday, September 22
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 18)
Friday, September 22
- Kathryn Newton (Gary Unmarried) - Watch Kathryn on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ralph Harris (On Our Own) and Jimmie "JJ" Walker (Good Times/At Ease/Bustin' Loose) - Ralph and Jimmie are guests on repeats of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
- Alfonso Ribeiro (In the House/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso is a guest on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
- Sam Jay (Bust Down) - Sam appears on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 8:50am.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (June-October)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
07/18 - South Park - Seasons 21-25 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
07/25 - The Neighborhood - Season Five
07/25 - Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin - Season One
07/25 - Superstore - The Complete Series
08/22 - Back to Life - Season 1 / Season 2
08/29 - Smiling Friends - Season 1 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
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