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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Comedy
    Comedy TV Shows - 1980s 2 Mins Read

    Charles In Charge

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    1 9 8 4 – 1 9 8 5 (USA)
    1 9 8 7 – 1 9 9 0 (USA)
    126 x 30 minute episodes

    An archetypal 1980s sitcom starring teen heartthrob Scott Baio as 19-year-old Charles (no last name), an impoverished college student who gets a job as live-in ‘nanny’ for the Pembroke’s and their three kids.

    Baio had made a name for himself playing Fonzie’s younger cousin in Happy Days and its spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi.

    Following the demise of those series, American TV bosses still considered the actor a ‘hot’ item, and his ‘hunk’ status led to this purpose-built series.

    The comedy arose from Charles’ attempts at raising the Pembroke’s three mischievous children, 14-year-old Lila (April Lerman), 12-year-old Douglas (Jonathan Ward) and 10-year-old Jason (Michael Perlman).

    Charles had a girlfriend, fellow college student Gwendolyn (Jennifer Runyon), and a best buddy named, appropriately, Buddy (Willie Aames).

    CBS dropped the show after just one season but new episodes, utilising a slightly different format, were made for first-run syndication.

    In these, Charles returned from vacation to find that the Pembrokes had moved to Seattle and sub-let their house to the Powell family. Luckily, they too needed a houseboy and Charles moved back in, carrying on much as before.

    charlesincharge_04

    John Travolta’s sister Ellen joined the new cast as Charles’ mother Lillian, an on-screen relationship they had previously explored in Joanie Loves Chachi.

    In January 2018, sexual misconduct allegations were made by Nicole Eggert (who played Jamie Powell) against Baio. She claimed that inappropriate relations started when she was 14 and that when she was 17, she had intercourse with Baio.

    Baio denied the allegations, contending that he had sexual relations with Eggert only once and that the encounter occurred after she had turned 18.

    Several months later, Alexander Polinsky (who played Adam Powell) accused Baio of engaging in verbal abuse and of physically assaulting him on the set of Charles in Charge.

    Charles 
    Scott Baio
    Buddy Lembeck 

    Willie Aames
    Jill Pembroke 

    Julie Cobb
    Stan Pembroke 

    James Widdoes
    Douglas Pembroke 

    Jonathan Ward
    Lila Pembroke 

    April Lerman
    Jason Pembroke 

    Michael Perlman
    Gwendolyn Pierce 

    Jennifer Runyon
    Ellen Powell 

    Sandra Kerns
    Jamie Powell 

    Nicole Eggert
    Sara Powell 

    Josie Davis
    Adam Powell 

    Alexander Polinsky
    Walter Powell 

    James Callahan
    Lillian 

    Ellen Travolta

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