Just the Ten of Us

Just the Ten of Us
Just the Ten of Us opening sequence
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Dan Guntzelman Steve Marshall
Written by	Kevin Abbott Kate Boutilier Bob Burris Dan Guntzelman Steve Marshall Tim O'Donnell Rich Reinhart Rachelle Romberg Craig Shoemaker Brad Slaight Michael Ware Jake Weinberger Mike Weinberger
Directed by	John Guntzelman Dan Guntzelman Robert Heath Jim Johnston Howard Storm John Tracy
Starring	Bill Kirchenbauer Deborah Harmon Heather Langenkamp Jamie Luner Brooke Theiss JoAnn Willette Matt Shakman Heidi Zeigler
Opening theme	"Doin' it the Best I Can" performed by Bill Medley
Composer(s)	Steve Dorff
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	47 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Dan Guntzelman Steve Marshall Mike Sullivan
Producer(s)	Henry Johnson Nick LeRose
Running time	22–24 minutes
Production company(s)	Guntzelman-Sullivan-Marshall Productions Warner Bros. Television
Distributor	Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	April 26, 1988 (1988-04-26) – May 4, 1990 (1990-05-04)
Chronology
Related shows	Growing Pains

Just the Ten of Us is an American sitcom starring stand-up comedian Bill Kirchenbauer as Coach Graham Lubbock, a teacher and the head of a large Catholic family with eight children living in Eureka, California. The series is a spin-off of Growing Pains, in which Kirchenbauer portrayed the same character on a recurring basis.^[1] As the series progressed, Coach Lubbock's four eldest daughters, the teenagers Marie (Heather Langenkamp), Cindy (Jamie Luner), Wendy (Brooke Theiss), and Connie (JoAnn Willette), became the primary focus of the show.

Just the Ten of Us aired on ABC starting with a trial run on April 26, 1988 and ending on May 17, 1990. After the first four episodes in an abbreviated first season were aired, the show was renewed for two more seasons, eventually ending after 47 episodes on May 4, 1990. The show was a part of ABC's early TGIF programming block.

Synopsis

The series focuses on Graham Lubbock (Bill Kirchenbauer), a Catholic gym teacher who used to teach at the high school that Growing Pains characters Mike and Carol Seaver (Kirk Cameron and Tracey Gold) had attended, and the father of eight children.

In the pilot episode (which aired on Growing Pains in the spring of 1988), Graham's job is in jeopardy due to district budget cutbacks. Mike leads a protest after he learns that Lubbock is trying to support a large family (including yet another baby-on-the-way). Word of this spreads, and Graham's fate is sealed; he loses his job. However, he is soon offered a job at St. Augustine's Academy, an all-boys private Catholic school in Eureka, California. Graham promptly moves his family to California.

Six of Graham's children were girls, four of them teenagers. They were:

Marie (Heather Langenkamp) - the oldest, most responsible, and most pious.
Cindy (Jamie Luner) - Wendy's older twin sister, and the most ditzy.
Wendy (Brooke Theiss) - Cindy's younger twin sister, and the most flirtatious.
Connie (JoAnn Willette) - the Bohemian, and also occasionally agnostic.

His younger daughters were eight-year-old Sherry (Heidi Zeigler) and infant Melissa. By special arrangement, the older girls were allowed to attend St. Augustine's, much to the chagrin of the school's administration (and, of course, much delight of the male students). Graham and Elizabeth's sons were 11-year-old Graham, Jr. (Matt Shakman), familiarly known as "J.R.", and toddler Harvey (Jason and Jeremy Korstjens).

The first season consisted of four episodes for a trial run in the spring of 1988. ABC was pleased with their success and ordered a second season. In the second season, Cindy and Wendy seemed to switch personalities, with Cindy becoming more ditzy, and Wendy becoming the schemer. Also, the show focused more and more on the four older girls and frequently revolved around the family's efforts to save money, dating, and other typical family sitcom issues. In later episodes, the four teenage girls formed a singing group called "The Lubbock Babes" (partly to help bring in much-needed extra income). The girls had many boyfriends and love interests that Graham took great pride in testing---and in most cases, fending off---but the most permanent fixture among them was Marie's goofy boyfriend, Gavin Doosler (Evan Arnold).

Those on the St. Augustine's staff included Father Frank Hargis (Frank Bonner), the affable headmaster; Coach Duane Johnson (Dennis Haysbert), Graham's earnest young assistant during the first two seasons; and in the third season, featured teachers Father Bud (Lou Richards) and elderly, madcap Sister Ethel (Maxine Elliott).

Cast

Bill Kirchenbauer as Coach Graham T. Lubbock
Deborah Harmon as Elizabeth Lubbock
Heather Langenkamp as Marie Lubbock
Jamie Luner as Cynthia "Cindy" Lubbock
Brooke Theiss as Wendy Lubbock
JoAnn Willette as Constance Sarah "Connie" Lubbock
Matt Shakman as Graham "J.R." Lubbock, Jr.
Heidi Zeigler as Sherry Lubbock
Jason and Jeremy Korstjens as Harvey Lubbock
Frank Bonner as Father Frank Hargis, Headmaster of St. Augustine's Academy
Dennis Haysbert as Duane Johnson, Coach Lubbock's assistant (1988-1989)
Evan Arnold as Gavin Doosler
Lou Richards as Father Bud (1989-1990)
Maxine Elliott as Sister Ethel (1989-1990)

Episodes

Main article: List of Just the Ten of Us episodes

Syndication

USA Network picked up the entire series in reruns shortly after it was canceled, and aired the show on a daily basis until 1996.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Result	Category	Recipient
1989	ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards	Won	Top TV Series	John Bettis
1990	Primetime Emmy Award	Won	Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series	George Spiro Dibie (For episode "Highway To Heaven")
	Young Artist Award	Nominated	Best Young Actor/Actress Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special	Heather Langenkamp, Jamie Luner, Matt Shakman, Brooke Theiss, JoAnn Willette and Heidi Zeigler
			Best Family Television Series	–
			Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Television Series	Heidi Zeigler

References

↑ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2003). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present (8 ed.). Random House Digital, Inc. p. 627. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.

External links

Just the Ten of Us at the Internet Movie Database
Just the Ten of Us at TV.com
Just the Ten of Us at epguides.com

Growing Pains

Episodes

Films	The Growing Pains Movie (2000) Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers (2004)

Spin-off	Just the Ten of Us episodes

TGIF

8 Simple Rules (2004–2005) Aliens in the Family (1996) Baby Talk (1991–1992) The Big House (2004) Billy (1992) Boy Meets World (1993–2000) Brother's Keeper (1998–1999) Camp Wilder (1992–1993) Complete Savages (2004–2005) Clueless (1996–1997) Dinosaurs (1991–1993) Family Matters (1989–1997) Full House (1989–1991) George Lopez (2003–2004) Getting By (1993) Going Places (1990–1991) Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1993–1996) Hi Honey, I'm Home! (1991) Home Free (1993) Hope & Faith (2003–2005) The Hughleys (1999–2000) Just the Ten of Us (1989–1990) Less than Perfect (2004–2005) Life with Bonnie (2003–2004) Married to the Kellys (2003–2004) Muppets Tonight (1996) New Attitude (1990) Odd Man Out (1999–2000) On Our Own (1994–1995) Perfect Strangers (1989–1993) Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996–2000) Sister, Sister (1994–1995) Step By Step (1991–1997) Teen Angel (1997–1998) Two of a Kind (1998–1999) Where I Live (1993) You Wish (1997–1998)		T G I f

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