Husbands, Wives and Lovers

1 9 7 8 (USA)
13 x 60 minute episodes

This was the story of five couples from the San Fernando Valley, near Los Angeles, who all knew one another as friends or relatives.

Murray Zuckerman (Stephen Pearlman) was a travelling salesman for a large pharmaceutical company and spent a lot of time away from home. His love-starved wife, Paula (Cynthia Harris), reluctantly accepted his frequent absences.

Raspy-voiced Harry Bellini (Eddie Barth) was a tough, streetwise, self-taught waste management tycoon and Joy (Lynne Marie Stewart) was his much younger, dimwitted second wife who was always bringing people her homemade cookies, fudge and caramels.

Lennie Bellini (Mark Lonow) was Harry’s younger brother who was living with Rita DeLaTorre (Randee Heller). Together they ran Lennie’s Denim Boutique – even their car seats were done in denim, with pockets for maps.

Harry constantly urged the couple to get married, but to no avail.

All of the couples used the same dentist, Ron Willis (Ron Rifkin), who was separated from – but still friends with – his soon-to-be ex-wife, Helene (Jesse Welles).

Helene’s divorce attorney, Dixon Carter Fielding (Charles Siebert) was also Ron’s best friend, and his wife Courtney (Claudette Nevins) spent his money as fast as he could make it.

The 13 hour-long episodes aired on CBS on Friday nights at 10.00 pm but lasted only three months.

Paula Zuckerman 
Cynthia Harris
Murray Zuckerman
Stephen Pearlman
Joy Bellini 
Lynne Marie Stewart
Harry Bellini
Eddie Barth
Ron Willis
Ron Rifkin
Helene Willis
Jesse Welles
Dixon Carter Fielding
Charles Siebert
Courtney Fielding
Claudette Nevins
Lennie Bellini
Mark Lonow
Rita DeLaTorre
Randee Heller

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