Homefront (U.S. TV series)

Homefront is an American television drama series created and produced by Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick in association with Warner Bros. Television for ABC. The show was set in the fictional city of River Run, Ohio in 1945, 1946, and 1947. The show's theme song, "Accentuate the Positive", was written by Johnny Mercer and performed by Jack Sheldon.^[1]

Forty-two episodes were broadcast in the United States over two seasons from 1991 to 1993.^[2] TV Guide, Abigail Van Buren, and fans showed determination in getting ABC to continue the show for a third season before it was cancelled.

Characters

• Sarah Brewer: College co-ed romantically torn between her soldier, Hank Metcalf, and his brother, Jeff, whom she dated during the war; Orphan; Resident of boarding house; Protestant; Studying to become a teacher.
• Abe Davis: Father whose confidence in the American dream is tested by his son's experiences with racism; Great-grandson of a slave; Son of Rebecca Davis, who was disappointed when he married a dark-skinned woman; Husband of Gloria Davis; Father of Robert Davis; Talented photographer; Once played baseball in the Negro Leagues; Employed by Mike and Ruth Sloan as a chauffeur and man-about-the-house; Shares apartment with his wife; Dreams of owning a restaurant; Attends Bethany Baptist.
• Gloria Davis: Housekeeper who aspires to own a restaurant; Wife of Abe Davis; Daughter-in-law of Rebecca Davis; Mother of Robert Davis; Employed by Mike and Ruth Sloan as a maid and cook; Only missed a single day of work when her son was born; Cared for Mike Sloan, Jr. throughout his childhood; Member of Bethany Baptist choir.
• Cpl. Robert Davis: Decorated veteran who lands a job "on the line" at Sloan Industries but is isolated and belittled by racist co-workers; Son of Abe and Gloria Davis; Grandson of Rebecca Davis; Great-great-grandson of a slave; Served in Europe with the 761st Armored Battalion. In the second season he is joined by his white French war bride.
• Caroline Hailey: British war bride determined not to have any children.
• Sgt. Charlie Hailey: Veteran who puts his battlefield skills to use for the local union.
• Al Kahn: No-nonsense union organizer who begins romancing Anne Metcalf; Divorced, Jewish, possible former Communist sympathies, originally is interested in Anne's daughter.
• Anne Metcalf: Widowed mother, displaced from work on the line at local steel manufacturer in September 1945; world is turned on end when she falls in love again.
• Lt. Hank Metcalf: Soldier who returns to River Run to find that everything has changed; Son of Stephen and Anne Metcalf; Older brother of Linda and Jeff Metcalf.
• Jeff Metcalf: Earnest young baseball player for the Cleveland Indians who finds romance where he least expects it; Son of Stephen and Anne Metcalf; Younger brother of Hank and Linda Metcalf.
• Linda Metcalf: Young woman who enjoys the fulfillment she finds in paying work; Daughter of Stephen and Anne Metcalf; Only sister of Hank and Jeff Metcalf; Best friend to Ginger Szabo.
• Judy Owen: Beautiful blonde bartender with a thing for baseball; Parents are no longer alive; Widowed when husband, Tom Owen, was shot down over the Pacific Ocean; Lives in Clearwater, Florida, in apartment over bar where she is employed.
• Gina Sloan: Italian war bride who arrives in the U.S. only to find that her husband, Mike Sloan, Jr., has been killed; Jewish Holocaust survivor.
• Mike Sloan, Sr.: Steel manufacturer dumbfounded by the inroads that unionization makes among his employees.
• Ruth Sloan: Icy River Run socialite coming to grips with her Italian daughter-in-law; her only son, Mike, dies on his way home to Ohio.
• Ginger Szabo: Passionate, fast-talking young woman with dreams of fame on stage or screen.

Cast

• Kyle Chandler as Jeff Metcalf
• Sammi Davis as Caroline Hailey
• Ken Jenkins as Mike Sloan, Sr.
• Mimi Kennedy as Ruth Sloan
• Tammy Lauren as Ginger Szabo
• Sterling Macer, Jr. as Cpl. Robert Davis (1991–1992)
• David Newsom as Lt. Hank Metcalf (1991–1992)
• Harry O'Reilly as Sgt. Charlie Hailey
• Wendy Phillips as Anne Metcalf
• Kelly Rutherford as Judy Owen (1992–1993)
• Giuliana Santini as Gina Sloan
• John Slattery as Al Kahn
• Jessica Steen as Linda Metcalf
• Dick Anthony Williams as Abe Davis
• Alexandra Wilson as Sarah Brewer Metcalf (1991–1992)
• Hattie Winston as Gloria Davis
• Katharine Roche'-Sudar and Lara Roche'-Sudar as Emma Sloan

Guest stars

Although Homefront operated largely around its main ensemble cast, guest stars were also featured. Notable repeat guests included:

• John DiSanti as Sam Schenkkan
• Montrose Hagins as Grandmother Davis
• Kevin Scott Allen as Ed
• Sylvia Short as Miss Watkins
• Fred Pinkars as Jonas
• Randy Harrington as Jack
• Charles Fowlkes as Royal
• Courtenay McWhinney as Miss Ralston
• Robert Duncan McNeill as Bill Caswell
• Jonathan Terry as Father Dreher
• Geoffrey Blake as Jay Tweed
• James Gammon as Coach Zelnick

Main crew members

Lynn Marie Latham, Diane Messina Stanley, Sharron Miller, Bernard Lechowick, Ron Lagomarsino, Anita W. Addison, David Assael, James Stanley, David Carson, Christopher Chulack, and Félix Enríquez Alcalá

Awards and nominations

Syndication

Homefront was aired in the United States by the AmericanLife TV Network on Sundays at 10pm Eastern, but the network has since stopped airing the show.

References

1. ↑ "Music of Homefront". Homefrontondvd.com. Retrieved 2009-04-24. 
2. ↑ "Ultimate Homefront Episode Guide". Archived from the original on 2006-12-31. 
3. ↑ Lowry, Brian (1993-04-16). "CBS leads noms for Emmy rival". variety.com. Retrieved 27 October 2013. 

External links

• Homefront at the Internet Movie Database
• Homefront at TV.com
• Homefront at epguides.com