704 Hauser

704 Hauser
Created by Norman Lear
Starring John Amos
Lynnie Godfrey
T.E. Russell
Maura Tierney
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 6 (1 Unaired)
Production
Running time 2224 minutes
Production company(s) ELP Communications
Act III Television
Castle Rock Entertainment (pilot)
Columbia Pictures Television
Distributor Sony Pictures Television
Broadcast
Original channel CBS
Original run April 11, 1994 – May 9, 1994
Chronology
Preceded by All in the Family
Archie Bunker's Place
Related shows Maude
The Jeffersons
Gloria
Good Times
Checking In

704 Hauser is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from April to May 1994. A spinoff of All in the Family (the final of several), the series is built around the concept of a black family, the Cumberbatches, moving into the former Queens home of Archie Bunker years after Bunker had sold the house located at 704 Hauser Street. The All in the Family character Joey Stivic, Archie's grandson, makes a cameo in the first episode.[1]

Overview

Norman Lear created the series during the time when conservative talk radio was experiencing its initial upswing in popularity in the United States, particularly in the form of Rush Limbaugh. Lear felt that the time was right for a new show to explore some of the issues being discussed, and 704 Hauser was even more explicitly political than All in the Family.

John Amos, a veteran of the earlier Lear sitcom Good Times (itself a spin-off of the All in the Family spin-off Maude), starred as Ernie Cumberbatch, while Lynnie Godfrey played his wife, Rose. T.E. Russell played their live-at-home son, Thurgood Marshall "Goodie" Cumberbatch.[2]

The show featured a reversal of the original All in the Family formula. Ernie and Rose Cumberbatch were blue collar, working class Democrats, while their son Goodie was an assertive conservative activist in the vein of Armstrong Williams, Walter Williams, or Thomas Sowell. To add further conflict, Goodie's girlfriend, Cherlyn Markowitz (Maura Tierney), was white and Jewish, with whom he had chosen a celibate relationship.

Audiences did not respond favorably to the show, which was cancelled after just five episodes (with one episode remaining unaired).

In the second episode of the first season of All in the Family ("Writing the President"), Archie mentions a black friend of his from "the old neighborhood" named Roundtree Cumberbatch; Mike replies that he thinks the name is made up.

Episodes

No. Title Original air date
1"Meet the Cumberbatches"April 11, 1994
A pair of liberal black parents struggles with their conservative son and his white girlfriend.
2"Here's Why Ernie Should Never Be Left Home Alone"April 18, 1994
Ernie conspires to find Goodie a new girlfriend.
3"Ernie Live on Tape"April 25, 1994
Ernie and Goodie disagree over an incident of alleged racial harassment.
4"Triskaidekaphobia"May 2, 1994
Friday the thirteenth brings bad luck to the Cumberbatches.
5"All That Jasmine"May 9, 1994
Rose's sister interferes with Ernie's birthday surprise.
6"Revelations"Unaired
Ernie discovers a master plan to reduce his taxes by becoming a minister.

References

  1. "704 Hauser St, Norman Lear creates 704 Hauser St, Archie Bunker". Allinthefamilysit.com. 1994-04-15. Retrieved 2013-11-19.

External links