The Courtship of Eddie's Father
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The Courtship of Eddie's Father is a 1963 comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli. It tells the story of a widower played by Glenn Ford, with a young son played by Ron Howard who believes his father should marry but disapproves of the women his father is interested in. It also stars Shirley Jones, Stella Stevens, Dina Merrill and Jerry Van Dyke.
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[edit] TV series (1969-1972)
The Courtship of Eddie's Father was based on the popular 1963 movie of the same name that had gained some respect in theaters, and it was also based on a book written by Mark Toby. It debuted on September 17, 1969, and was broadcast until June 14, 1972 on ABC, replacing the short-lived Here Come the Brides series. The ABC television network had acquired the rights to do a weekly television dramedy, dealing with a young, single, thirtyish father, trying to raise a young son while pursuing a social life. The show gained in popularity during its first two seasons, as had other hit comedies that dealt with widowed single parents, such as, The Andy Griffith Show, My Three Sons, Family Affair and Julia. This show also set the tone for five other 1970s comedies that dealt with widowhood and/or traditional family values: The Brady Bunch, (which debuted just 9 days after Courtship), The Partridge Family, Sanford And Son, Alice and Eight is Enough.
Veteran comedy producer and one-time My Favorite Martian writer, James Komack also served as both the creator and the executive producer of the show. The television show's theme song, "Best Friend", was written and performed by Harry Nilsson, and was played over opening credits showing Bixby and Cruz in various happy moments. The song has often been used since as an iconic indication of father-son bonding.
The show centered around Tom Corbett (Bill Bixby), a magazine publisher and widower from Los Angeles who had shouldered the responsibility of raising his freckled-faced, six-year-old son, Eddie (Brandon Cruz), who often cleverly manipulated his father. Eddie's popularity grew, when he persuaded his own father to start dating women, being lovingly connected with prosperous brides, and even started having a charisma with other women. Tom's domestic arrangements were managed, highly competently, by his wonderful housekeeper, Mrs. Livingston (Miyoshi Umeki), who was very diplomatic and full of sage advice (compare to handyman, Dwayne Schneider on the long-running dramedy show, One Day At A Time. At work, Tom would usually work with Tina Rickles (Kristina Holland), who was his secretary at a magazine company. And very often, Norman Tinker (James Komack), who was the head of another family, worked as a radical photographer at the same company that both Tom & Tina worked in.
Starting in 1970, Bill Bixby made his debut as a director, directing several episodes of the show.
Many familiar and unfamiliar actors who guest-starred on the show went on to become successful stars: Sally Struthers, Pat Harrington Jr., Diana Muldaur, Willie Aames, Pat Morita, Suzanne Pleshette, Tippi Hedren, Pat Delaney, Alan Oppenheimer, Lou Jacobi, Jodie Foster, Bill Dana, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, Ron Ely, Carol Lawrence, George Takei, among many others. Famous comedian and dancer Sammy Davis Jr. made a cameo appearance where he played an insurance man who turned out to be an outsider.
It was eventually cancelled when Bixby had a falling out with producer James Komack on the direction of the show. Many of the later episodes focused on both Komack's & Bixby's character, Norman Tinker & Tom Corbett, rather than on the relationship between Tom Corbett and his son, Eddie.
[edit] Rejected series
In 2003, filming began on a new television pilot which starred Ken Marino and Josh Hutcherson, but it didn't get ordered to series. The child star of the previous series, Brandon Cruz, played a supporting role.
[edit] Trivia
- On one episode, Brenda Benet played Bixby's girlfriend, in real-life, she was married to Bill Bixby, before the final season started. The couple divorced in 1979.
- Tom's middle name is: Bailey, in real-life, Bill Bixby's middle name is also Bailey.
[edit] Main cast
- Bill Bixby as: Tom Corbett
- Brandon Cruz as: Eddie Corbett
- Miyoshi Umeki as: Mrs. Livingston
- Kristina Holland as: Tina Rickles
- James Komack as: Norman Tinker
