704 Hauser

704 Hauser
Created by Norman Lear
Directed by Norman Lear
Jack Shea
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
Release
Original network CBS
Original release April 11 (1994-04-11) – May 9, 1994 (1994-05-09)
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 and a spin-off of All in the Family (the final of several) that aired on CBS from April 11 to May 9, 1994. The series is built around the concept of a black family, the Cumberbatch family, 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 (played by Casey Siemaszko), 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 working class Democrats, while their son Goodie was a conservative activist and his girlfriend, Cherlyn Markowitz (Maura Tierney), was white and Jewish.

Audiences did not respond favorably to the show, which was cancelled after 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 Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Meet the Cumberbatchs"Norman LearNorman Lear and Kevin HeelanApril 11, 1994 (1994-04-11)
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"Jack SheaJohn Baskin and Roger ShulmanApril 18, 1994 (1994-04-18)
Ernie conspires to find Goodie a new girlfriend.
3"Ernie Live on Tape"Jack SheaJanet Lynne JacksonApril 25, 1994 (1994-04-25)
Ernie and Goodie disagree over an incident of alleged racial harassment.
4"Triskaidekaphobia"Jack SheaGreg Cope and Sean DwyerMay 2, 1994 (1994-05-02)
Friday the thirteenth brings bad luck to the Cumberbatchs.
5"All That Jasmine"Jack SheaAndrea Allen-WileyMay 9, 1994 (1994-05-09)
Rose's sister interferes with Ernie's birthday surprise.
6"Revelations"Jack SheaWalter Allen Bennett, Jr.Unaired (Unaired)
Ernie discovers a master plan to reduce his taxes by becoming a minister.

DVD release

The pilot episode, "Meet the Cumberbatchs", was included as a bonus feature on All in the Family - The Complete Series DVD box-set released by Shout! Factory on October 30, 2012.

References

  1. Svetkey, Benjamin (April 15, 1994). "Norman Lear's new sitcom 704 Hauser". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 10, 2016.

External links

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