An attempt by CBS to emulate the sixties success of The Dick Van Dyke Show. The new show saw family man Dick Preston, his wife Jenny (Hope Lange) and their children Annie (Angela Powell) and Lucas (Michael Shea) living in a ranch-style house on Hayes Creek Road in Carefree, Arizona.
Annie Preston is nine years old and attends Camelback Grammar School. She appeared in a television commercial with Dick for a product called Cicely’s Instant Oatmeal. Dick calls Annie “Pumpkin”.
Lucas Preston is 16 years old. He attends an unnamed high school, presumably some distance from his home as he lives on campus. He is a young Romeo and seems to have a never-ending supply of girlfriends.
The family cat is named Mr Rosenbloom, after Annie’s music teacher.
Dick is the host of The Dick Preston Show, a 90-minute talk-variety show produced by KXIU-TV in Phoenix. Dick’s sister, ‘Mike’ (Fannie Flagg) – short for Michelle – is his booking agent and secretary. Bernie Davis (Marty Brill) is Dick’s agent and business manager, and Carol Davis (Nancy Dussault) is Bernie’s wife.
In season three, Dick moves to Hollywood to take the role of Dr Brad Fairmont in a Daytime soap called Those Who Care.
New characters include the soap’s producer, Max Mathias (Dick Van Patten); the director, Alex Montez (Henry Darrow); and the writer, Dennis Whitehead (Barry Gordon). Margot Brighton (Barbara Rush) is the star of the show, playing Dr Susan Allison.
The Prestons now live in Tarzana at 747 Bonnie Vista Road, where their neighbours are Richard Richardson (Richard Dawson) – an actor who stars in a television series called Harrigan’s Hooligans – and his wife, Connie (Chita Rivera).
The New Dick Van Dyke Show was written and produced by Carl Reiner, who had conceived the original Dick Van Dyke Show (and co-starred as Alan Brady).
Dick Preston Dick Van Dyke
Jenny Preston
Hope Lange
Bernie Davis
Marty Brill
Michelle ‘Mike’ Preston
Fannie Flagg
Carol Davis
Nancy Dussault
Annie Preston
Angela Powell
Lucas Preston
Michael Shea
Ted Atwater
David Doyle
Dennis Whitehead
Barry Gordon
Max Mathias
Dick Van Patten Alex Montez
Henry Darrow Richard Richardson
Richard Dawson Connie Richardson
Chita Rivera Margot Brighton
Barbara Rush
