Joe and Sons

Joe and Sons
Genre Sitcom
Written by
  • Bob Illes
  • Mike Milligan
Directed by Peter Baldwin
Starring
Composer(s) David Shire
Country of origin  United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 14
Production
Executive producer(s) Douglas S. Cramer
Producer(s)
Running time 30 min
Production company(s) Kukoff-Harris Partnership
Distributor CBS
Broadcast
Original channel CBS
Original run April 18, 1975 – January 13, 1976

Joe and Sons is a short-lived television series broadcast on CBS from September 9, 1975 to January 13, 1976. It has 14 episodes, including the pilot.

Premise

The show focused on an Italian-American widower Joe Vitale who lived in Hoboken, New Jersey with his two teenage sons, Mark and Nick. Gus Duzik worked with him as a typical middle-class family worker at the Hoboken Sheet and Tube Company. Estelle was a cocktail waitress who lived in the apartment across the hall who helped Joe with his sons and liked to cook an occasional meal for the family.

Cast

Episodes

Title Original air date
0"Joe and Sons"18 April 1975
Series pilot: Joe is worried about the mysterious behavior of his older son, who has been coming home late and falling asleep in class.
1"Mark's Doubt"9 September 1975
Blue collar worker Joe Vitale, a widower, has his hands full with two growing sons and an odd assortment of concerned friends, family and neighbors. A theological crisis begins the season, as the older boy declares his doubt in the existence of God.
2"Nick's Book"23 September 1975
Joe is enraged when he discovers that his 12-year-old son's biology book contains an explicit section on sex education.
3"Joe's Date"30 September 1975
The promise of romance has Joe in a fever of anticipation as he prepares for a reunion with the bombshell of his high school class.
4"Carmela"7 October 1975
Joe worries when he learns that Mark is dating the daughter of wild Flora (Dimitra Arliss), a woman who had a dubious reputation in high school.
5"Joe's Cruise"14 October 1975
During a pandemonium-filled morning, Joe must choose between attending an annual boat ride with Gus or chauffeuring his kids around the city.
6"A Real Lady"21 October 1975
Josephine plays matchmaker, arranging a blind date between Joe and a widow who inherited a garbage-truck company from her husband.
7"Uncle Charlie's Problem"4 November 1975
Joe willingly agrees to take Uncle Charlie after the sprightly old codger runs away from a retirement home.
8"The Desperate Minutes"21 November 1975
Gus is suing the city of Hoboken for $2,000,000 for "bodily injuries and mental anguish" he suffered while riding a bus that collided with a car.
9"Clothes Don't Necessarily Make the Man"2 December 1975
Nick claims to be studying ballet for cultural enrichment, but his Aunt Josephine is beginning to worry about her nephew's masculinity.
10"Pot Luck"16 December 1975
A house plant left by Mark's long-haired friend is making Joe nervous; he's sure it's marijuana.
11"Nick's Problem"23 December 1975
Nick, who has taken great pains to hide his bed-wetting from the others, finds himself the object of much concern when his secret is discovered.
12"Thou Shalt Steal"6 January 1976
Gus fears for his life after running out of a crap game without paying up his losses.
13"Jimmy Flynn's Wake"13 January 1976
Joe is trapped into holding a wake at his house for Gus's lately departed friend even though he never even knew the guy.

External links