Apple Pie

1 9 7 8 (USA)
2 (8) x 30 minute episodes

This short-lived Depression-era sitcom followed the Hollyhock ‘family’, headed by Ginger-Nell (Rue McClanahan) – a lonely spinster from Oklahoma with no relatives – who had acquired her nutty family through newspaper advertisements in the Gazette.

‘Daughter’ (Caitlin O’Heaney) Anna Marie knew she was very sexy and titillated the boys by revealing her gorgeous legs. She attended Kansas City University – as did Junior, the ‘son’ (Derrel Maury).

A ‘husband’ turned up in the person of bank robber-on-the-run “Fast Eddie” (Dabney Coleman), a Forever Fernwood alumni, and a middle-aged romance was born.

Jack Gilford played the blind, cane-whacking, Roosevelt-hating ‘grandpa’.

The ‘family’ lived at 93600 Morning Glory Road. Ginger-Nell owned the Hollyhock Beauty Salon and paid a home mortgage of $43 a month to the First National Bank of Kansas City.

Dabney and McLanahan actually managed to generate some real emotion in the midst of the chaos, producing a schism between themselves and the rest of the cast.

The series was created by Norman Lear (of All In The Family fame) and had its origins in Forever Fernwood and overtones of Soap.

ABC cancelled the show after just two of the eight filmed episodes were aired.

Ginger-Nell Hollyhock
Rue McClanahan
Fast Eddie Murtaugh
Dabney Coleman
Grandpa Hollyhock
Jack Gilford
Anna Marie Hollyhock
Caitlin O’Heaney
Junior Hollyhock
Derrel Maury
Winona Sue
Carole Androsky

Episodes

Pilot*** | Fast Eddie Slows Down |  Ginger-Nell Goes Hollywood | Rich Man, Poor Girl*** | The Tornado*** | Ginger-Nell Loses Her Touch*** | A Man from Ginger-Nell’s Past*** | They Walk Among Us

NB: Episodes marked *** were not broadcast.