Mr. Smith | |
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Genre | Sitcom |
Written by | Dari Daniels George Kirgo David Lloyd Douglas Wyman |
Directed by | Stan Daniels Ralph Helfer Gerald Hirschfeld Ed. Weinberger |
Starring | Leonard Frey Tim Dunigan |
Voices of | Ed. Weinberger |
Composer(s) | Patrick Williams |
Country of origin | United States |
Language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 13 |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Stan Daniels Ed. Weinberger |
Producer(s) | Ralph Helfer |
Running time | 22–24 minutes |
Production company(s) | Paramount Television |
Broadcast | |
Original channel | NBC |
Original run | September 23, 1983 | – December 16, 1983
Mr. Smith is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23 through December 16, 1983. The series was based around the premise of a talking orangutan. Mr. Smith was canceled after thirteen episodes were aired.
The orangutan who played Mr. Smith had previously been featured in the Clint Eastwood movies Any Which Way You Can and Every Which Way But Loose.[1]
Contents |
Originally a part of a traveling act called the Atwood Orangutans, Cha Cha and Bobo are separated from their trainer Tommy Atwood (Tim Dunigan) after he is knocked unconscious after a car accident while the act is traveling from Arizona to California. Frightened by the commotion caused by the accident, Cha Cha and Bobo both run away. Cha Cha is eventually found and sent to a government research center in Washington, D.C.. Weeks later, Cha Cha escapes from the center and ends up in a research lab where he finds an experimental mixture to increase human intelligence being developed. After drinking the mixture, Cha Cha is able to talk (his voice was provided by series executive producer Ed. Weinberger)[2] and is later determined to have an I.Q of 256. He is then renamed Mr. Smith and, due to his high intelligence, becomes a political adviser. Mr. Smith's old trainer Tommy later becomes his assistant while Mr. Smith attempts to solve various political problems and his surrounding staff, which includes his secretary Raymond Holyoke (Leonard Frey), attempt to keep his identity hidden from the general public.
Mr. Smith's premiere episode ranked 47th out of 56 shows and was panned by critics. Viewership decreased as the season progressed and the series was canceled (along with seven other NBC series) in December 1983.[3][4]
Episode # | Episode Title | Airdate |
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1 | "Welcome to Washington (Part 1)" | September 23, 1983 |
2 | "Welcome to Washington (Part 2)" | September 23, 1983 |
3 | "Mr. Smith Operates" | September 30, 1983 |
4 | "Mr. Smith Finds His Brother" | October 14, 1983 |
5 | "Goodbye, Mr. Smith" | October 21, 1983 |
6 | "Mr. Smith Rescues Bobo" | October 21, 1983 |
7 | "Mr. Smith Falls in Love" | October 28, 1983 |
8 | "Mr. Smith Gets Physical" | November 4, 1983 |
9 | "Mr. Smith Loses a Friend" | November 11, 1983 |
10 | "Mr. Smith Makes a Commercial" | November 18, 1983 |
11 | "Mr. Smith Plays Cyrano" | November 25, 1983 |
12 | "Mr. Smith Goes Public" | December 2, 1983 |
13 | "Mr. Smith Goes to Court" | December 16, 1983 |
Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
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1984 | Emmy Award | Nominated | Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) | Patrick Williams (For episode "Mr. Smith Falls in Love") |
1984 | Young Artist Award | Nominated | Best Young Actress in a New Television Series | Laura Jacoby |
Nominated | Best New Television Series |
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1985 | Nominated | Best Young Actress in a Television Comedy Series | Laura Jacoby |