Private Benjamin (TV series)

Private Benjamin
Genre Sitcom
Directed by William Asher
Charles Beaumont
Gabrielle Beaumont
Alan Bergmann
Bruce Bilson
Alan Cooke
William P. D'Angelo
Marc Daniels
Herbert Kenwith
Leslie H. Martinson
Tony Mordente
Howard Morris
Alan Myerson
Bob Sweeney
Starring Lorna Patterson
Eileen Brennan
Wendie Jo Sperber
Hal Williams
Theme music composer Bob Carroll, Jr.
Madelyn Davis
Opening theme "Judy's Theme"
Composer(s) Barry De Vorzon
Dennis McCarthy
George Tipton
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 39 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Nick Arnold
Bob Carroll, Jr.
Madelyn Davis
Leonard B. Kaufman
Don Reo
Producer(s) Judith D. Allison
Hank Bradford
Bob Illes
Arnold Kane
Linda Morris
Vic Rauseo
Elliot Schick
James R. Stein
Running time 2224 minutes
Production company(s) Warner Bros. Television
Release
Original network CBS
Audio format Monaural
Original release April 6, 1981 (1981-04-06) – January 10, 1983 (1983-01-10)
Chronology
Related shows Private Benjamin

Private Benjamin is an American sitcom based on the movie of the same name. The show aired on CBS from April 6, 1981, to January 10, 1983. Eileen Brennan, who reprised her role from the film, won an Emmy and Golden Globe Award for her work on the series.

Synopsis

Like the movie, the series is about a spoiled young socialite named Judy Benjamin adjusting to life in the army. She's popular among her fellow enlisted personnel, but not with her superiors. Most of the humor in the series is derived from Benjamin and her friends' attempts to evade the watchful eye of their sergeant.

Although some of the actors from the film play the same characters on the TV show, (notably Eileen Brennan and Hal Williams, in their roles of Captain Doreen Lewis and Sgt. L.C. Ross respectively) the title role is acted by Lorna Patterson instead of Goldie Hawn.

While the series was initially shot on film and featured many outdoor scenes, later episodes were more like a standard sitcom, shot on video on soundstages and complete with a laugh track.

In the fall of 1982, Robert Mandan joined the cast as Colonel Lawrence Fielding, the pompous, well-meaning, but ineffectual, head of the camp. In late 1982, Eileen Brennan was struck by a car and Polly Holliday was brought in as Captain Amanda Allen, intended as a temporary replacement for Brennan's Captain Lewis character, but the show was cancelled shortly thereafter.

Cast and characters

Episodes

Season Episodes First aired Last aired
1 4 April 6, 1981 (1981-04-06) April 27, 1981 (1981-04-27)
2 22 October 12, 1981 (1981-10-12) April 26, 1982 (1982-04-26)
3 13 September 27, 1982 (1982-09-27) January 10, 1983 (1983-01-10)

Awards and nominations

Year Award Result Category Recipient
1981 Emmy Award Won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series Eileen Brennan
1982 Nominated Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series Eileen Brennan
1983 Nominated Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series Eileen Brennan
1982 Golden Globe Award Nominated Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Won Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Eileen Brennan
1983 Nominated Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Eileen Brennan
1982 People's Choice Awards Won Favorite New TV Comedy Program

External links

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