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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Comedy
    Comedy TV Shows - 1950s 3 Mins Read

    Mama

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    1 9 4 9 – 1 9 5 7 (USA)

    Mama made its television debut in 1949 and became something of an institution, running on CBS until 1957. Based on the Broadway play I Remember Mama – which was, in turn, based on Kathryn Forbes’s book Mama’s Bank Account – the programme was a warm comedy-drama that was both a domestic piece and a period piece.

    Starring noted stage actress Peggy Wood in the title role, Mama concerned a family of Norwegian immigrants in 1910 San Francisco.

    Mama was a practical, loving, matriarch and the rock of the family who could always be depended upon for a solution to whatever problem her family may be having.

    Each episode was introduced and seen through the eyes of Katrin (Rosemary Rice), the eldest daughter of the Hansen household.

    Each programme began with Katrin’s narration: “I remember the big white house on Elm Street, and my little sister Dagmar, and my big brother Nels, and Papa. But most of all, I remember Mama.”

    Other characters regularly seen on the show were “Papa” Lars Hansen (Judson Laire), a carpenter who made just enough money to support his family decently, if not richly; Mama’s sister, Aunt Jenny (Ruth Gates); Mama’s gruff and often overbearing Uncle Chris (Malcolm Keen and then Roland Winters); Mama’s younger sister, Aunt Trina (Alice Frost), and her husband, Gunnar Gunnerson (Carl Frank), and cousin Ingeborg (Patty McCormack).

    The stories might revolve around Dagmar’s braces, Nels starting a business, or the children buying presents for Mama’s birthday. The entire family would contribute to the drama’s resolution. however, and images of them sitting down to a cup of Maxwell House coffee – the show’s longtime sponsor – would frame each episode of the show.

    Upon cancellation of the show, thousands of letters, wires, phone calls and petitions flooded CBS for the return of Mama. The network acted on the viewers’ letters and newspaper editorials and reinstated the show. This time Mama was filmed and Toni Campbell became the new Dagmar.

    The series closed for good on 17 March 1957. The theme music was the Holberg Suite (opening theme) and The Last Spring (closing theme) by Edvard Grieg.

    mama_046

    ‘Mama’ Marta Hansen
    Peggy Wood
    ‘Papa’ Lars Hansen
    Judson Laire
    Nels

    Dick Van Patten
    Katrin

    Rosemary Rice
    Dagmar

    Iris Mann (1)
    Robin Morgan (2)
    Toni Campbell (3)
    Aunt Jenny
    Ruth Gates
    T R Ryan

    Kevin Coughlin
    Uncle Chris

    Malcolm Keen (1)
    Roland Winters (2)
    Uncle Gunnar Gunnerson

    Carl Frank
    Aunt Trina Gunnerson

    Alice Frost
    Ingeborg

    Patty McCormack

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