Accidental Family

1 9 6 7 – 1 9 6 8 (USA)
16 x 30 minute episodes

This Friday night NBC sitcom told the tales of carefree Las Vegas nightclub entertainer and widower Jerry Webster (Jerry Van Dyke, younger brother of Dick), who is enjoying his bachelor existence until he is unexpectedly confronted with custody of the six-year-old son he has not seen for three years.

Jerry buys a farm in California’s San Fernando Valley to give his son Sandy (Teddy Quinn) a stable background.

Beautiful blonde farm manager Sue Kramer (Lois Nettleton) – a divorcee whose daughter Tracy (Susan Benjamin) just happened to be Sandy’s age – served as de facto Governess for the boy and foil for Jerry.

Sue’s ex-vaudevillian farm handyman uncle Ben McGrath (Ben Blue) and Jerry’s lawyer, manager and friend, Marty Warren (Larry D Mann), rounded out the cast of regulars.

Sponsors included Playtex, Carnation Instant Breakfast and Hai Karate cologne.

Unfortunately, the series was not a success and was cancelled after four months, adding to Jerry Van Dyke’s unbroken record of television disaster (see My Mother The Car) which continued with Headmaster (cancelled after four months) and 13 Queens Blvd (cancelled after seven weeks).

Accidental Family was replaced with a new nighttime version of Hollywood Squares.

Jerry Webster
Jerry Van Dyke
Sue (Susannah) Kramer 
Lois Nettleton
Sandy Webster 
Teddy Quinn
Tracy Kramer
Susan Benjamin
Ben McGrath 
Ben Blue
Marty Warren 
Larry D Mann

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