This short-lived CBS comedy featured the story-gathering assignments of Tracy Bridges (Suzanne Pleshette) and Peter Cross (Nicolas Surovy), a divorced couple (they were married for just ten days) who share a personal rivalry as the reporter-columnists of “Bridges to Cross,” a column for World Week, a news magazine based in Washington DC.
The two manage to work together – and also play together once in a while.
Other Regulars included Tracy’s filthy rich socialite friend Maria (Eva Gabor, who must have been tired of living off the residuals from Green Acres); her personal aide and butler, Norman (Roddy McDowall, clearly in a movie career slump) – along to supply a few laughs and a friendly word of sage advice at the appropriate moment; acerbic editorial chief Morris Kane (José Ferrer); hotshot assignment editor Sharon (Cecile Callan), and the receptionist, Lisa (Rose Dursey).
The role of Tracy Bridges played to Pleshette’s strengths: a combination of competence and sexiness highlighted by that husky voice and complemented by the sardonic sense of humour that made her Bob Newhart’s perfect foil on his first sitcom.
She also got some stinging dialogue that pulled no punches and made for some juicy flare-up scenes.
Bridges To Cross was developed as a vehicle for Suzanne Pleshette from the ashes of her (also short-lived) 1984 newspaper sitcom Maggie Briggs.
Unfortunately, the show had an erratic construct – flipping between serious drama and empty-headed silliness (with at least a dozen costume changes per episode) – so viewers were never sure which format was going to show up.
Tracy Bridges
Suzanne Pleshette Peter Cross
Nicolas Surovy Morris Kane
José Ferrer Maria Talbot
Eva Gabor Norman Parks
Roddy McDowall Sharon Lambert
Cecile Callan Lisa
Rose Dursey
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The role of Tracy Bridges played to Pleshette’s strengths: a combination of competence and sexiness highlighted by that husky voice and complemented by the sardonic sense of humour that made her Bob Newhart’s perfect foil on his first sitcom.
