1 9 8 5 – 1 9 9 0 (USA)
117 x 30 minute episodes
Sports columnist George Owens (played by real-life sportscaster Bob Uecker) and his law student wife Marsha (Ilene Graff) have a typical American family in suburban Pittsburgh . . .
16-year-old Kevin (Rob Stone) is a bright kid who’s getting lousy grades; his 14-year-old sister, Heather (Tracy Wells) wants to spend the night with her boyfriend; and 8-year-old Wesley (Brice Beckham) can’t find his hamster.
Into this chaos comes Mr Lynn Belvedere (Christopher Hewett), a natty British gent who’s answered Marsha’s request for domestic help.
George (who calls him “big guy”) is not thrilled, but the rest of the family is.
Mr Belvedere quickly proves to be a gourmet cook, a Dutch uncle to the kids, and a terrific finder of lost hamsters.
In various episodes, Mr Belvedere further endeared himself to macho George by encouraging Wesley to take ballet lessons and by taking the kids’ side when, in their effort to “help others”, they brought home a bag lady.
The show went through several tough spots over the years, being yanked a number of times and then brought back to fill the Friday night gaps on ABC. But they managed to complete 117 episodes and have a respectable farewell, with Mr Belvedere ultimately getting married and leaving the family.
Mr Lynn Aloysius Belvedere
Christopher Hewett
Marsha Cameron Owens
Ilene Graff
Heather Owens
Tracy Wells
Wesley T. Owens
Brice Beckham
George Owens
Bob Uecker
Kevin Owens
Rob Stone
