|
"Maude"
debuted on...
the CBS Television Network, Tuesday, September
12, 1972 at 8:00 p.m.,  as
the first spin-off from Norman Lear's
groundbreaking comedy, "All in the
Family." Maude first appeared on "All
in the Family" in episode #25 "Cousin
Maude's Visit" which aired December 11,
1971. CBS executives loved the character Maude
and felt that the character could make it on her
own. CBS had Norman Lear contact and sign
Beatrice Arthur to a contract for her own series
"Maude," in which Norman Lear created.
"Maude" 's pilot aired on March 11,
1972, as "All In The Family" 's final
episode of the second season, episode #37
"Maude," where the basic format of the
series was created and set.
Beatrice Arthur starred as the independent and
strong-willed title character,  Maude, in the often serious
and controversial sitcom. Bill Macy portrayed
Maude's fourth husband, Walter Findlay. Adrienne
Barbeau played Maude's only daughter Carol
Traynor in the series, although in the pilot,
Marcia Rodd portrayed Carol. Brian Morrison
portrayed Carol's son, Phillip Traynor, for the
first five seasons while Kraig Metzinger
portrayed Phillip in the last season. Like
"All in the Family," the plot lines
were often political, but from a more liberal
view. Maude was as hilarious in her liberalism as
Archie Bunker was in his bigotry.
"Maude" tackled many tough topics of
the time, such as divorce, alcoholism, and
abortion. Although "Maude" was
hilariously funny, the series also had a dark
side in its realistic approach, meaning that
"Maude" would take a very serious issue
and make it in the humorous light.
Conrad Bain portrayed Arthur widower Dr. Harmon,
the as well Findlay's next-door neighbor, as
Walter's best friend.  Rue
guest McClanahan starred Vivian frequently as
Maude's best friend, Cavender. In Problem,"
episode #31 "Vivian's which aired November
6, 1973, McClanahan's Rue character, with Conrad
Vivian, became involved Bain's character, Arthur
January 29, Harmon. On 1974, in Station"
episode #41 "The Commuter the two characters
were married and Rue McClanahan, became a cast
member by episode #44 "The Investment"
which aired February 19, 1974. Conrad Bain and
Rue McClanahan portrayed next-door neighbors,
Arthur and Vivian, until the next to last
episode, #140 "Maude's Big Move" (Part
2), which aired April 15, 1978, in which their
characters moved away.
It became quite clear from the start of the
series that like "All In The Family,"
"Maude" was also going to break the
television sitcom standards. An example is that
Maude was the first television character to have
an abortion. Maude was also known for her catch
phrase, "God'll get you for that..." in
which she shouted at others when she became upset
with them. Although much of the series centered
on Maude's determination to be a dominant,
independent woman, she however always had a maid.
In fact, during the course of the series she had
three.  Maude's first maid Florida
Evans, was portrayed by Esther Rolle. Esther
Rolle first appeared in episode #3 "Maude
Meets Florida" on September 26, 1972, and
was last seen in episode #42 "Florida's
Goodbye" which aired February 5, 1974. The
character Florida Evans had became so popular
that CBS decided to give her, her own spin-off,
"Good Times." The series ran from
February 1, 1974 to September 13, 1980, producing
133 episodes. The second maid Mrs. Naugatuck, a
cynical, hard-drinking Englishwoman, was
portrayed by Hermione Baddeley. Hermione Baddeley
first appeared in episode #50 "The New
Housekeeper" on September 30, 1974, and was
last seen in episode #116 "The Household
Feud" which aired March 28, 1977. Marlene
Warfield portrayed the third and final maid,
Victoria Butterfield. Marlene Warfield first
appeared in episode #117 "The New Maid"
on April 4, 1977, and was last seen in episode
#137 "Mr. Butterfield's Return" which
aired March 11, 1978.
A month into the new fall season
"Maude" was a hit, placing eleventh in
the Nielson rankings. "Maude" was so
popular that she forced long running
"Bonanza" to change its Tuesday
prime-time slot. Maude tackled two very testy
subjects in her first two seasons. The first
subject was in episode #9 "Maude's
Dilemma" (Part 1), which aired November 14,
1972, the episode in which Maude unexpectedly
finds out she is pregnant and decides to have an
abortion in episode #10 "Maude's
Dilemma" (Part 2). At the time the two-part
episode aired, the Supreme Court had just
legalized abortions, over the Roe vs. Wade case.
During and after the airing of the "Maude's
Dilemma" episodes, the show was boycotted by
the Roman Catholic Church, stating that the
promotion of abortion is unacceptable in a
situation comedy. When CBS re-ran the episodes in
August 1973, Stop Immorality on Television (SIT)
and the Roman Catholic Church attempted to
discourage sponsors from buying air time. This
strategy worked to some extent, at least 39 of
CBS's 217 local affiliates refused to run the
show as well as seven sponsors refusing to run
advertisements. Although the organized efforts to
have "Maude" canceled, the majority of
the audience wished to continue watching her.
Alcoholism, the second testy subject aired in
September 1973, as a two-part episode,
"Walter's Problem."  Episode #23 "Walter's
Problem" (Part 1) aired September 11, 1973,
in which the heavy drinking Findlays, swear off
drinking, only Walter can not. Despite Beatrice
Arthur's objections, Walter strikes Maude during
a drunken rage, and suffers a breakdown. The
second part of "Walter's Problem" aired
a week later on September 18, 1973, in which
Walter accepts he has a problem and gets help.
Throughout the remainder of the series, Walter
acknowledges and excepts he is an alcoholic.
Alcoholism organizations hailed the two-part
episode as a breakthrough on prime-time TV, but
the SIT organization did not find it very funny
or touching, dismissing it as "the same
vulgarity you find on Maude every week."
For four seasons "Maude" was in the Top
Ten, the first season being #4, the second season
#6, the third season #9, and the forth season #4.
"Maude" was a success in her Tuesday
8:00 p.m. time slot while "All In The
Family" stayed number one for five seasons
in its Saturday 8:00 p.m. time slot.
"Maude" started the third season in a
new time slot, the series moved from Tuesdays at
8:00 p.m. to Mondays at 9:00 p.m. Throughout the
remaining run of the series, "Maude"
moved to a different time slot five more times.
While "All In The Family" remained in
the top ten until the end of the 1970s,
"Maude" completely dropped from the top
25 by the 1976-77 season. To series ended with a
three part episode "Maude's Big Move,"
in which," Maude and Walter move to
Washington DC after Maude is appointed
congresswoman. "Maude" 's last episode,
#141 "Maude's Big Move" (Part 3) aired
April 22, 1978 after Beatrice Arthur decided to
quit the show. |
TV Guides
Click On Thumbnails Below To
View Photos Larger |
Nov. 18-24, 1972
Beatrice Arthur of
"Maude" |
June 16-22, 1973
Beatrice Arthur, Bill
Macy of "Maude" |
Jan. 12-18, 1974
Beatrice Arthur, Bill
Macy, Conrad Bain of "Maude" |
Apr. 6-12, 1974
Carroll O'Connor, Bill
Macy, Redd Foxx and producer Norman Lear |
Mar. 29 - Apr. 4, 1975
Beatrice Arthur and
Hermione Baddeley of "Maude" |
April 24-30, 1976
Beatrice Arthur of
"Maude" |
|
|
