This short-lived CBS comedy about a blue-collar family living in Pittsburgh’s inner-city featured Michael Kirkland (Roger E. Mosley, late of Magnum PI), who made a modest living ($18,000 a year) as a school bus driver, a job he had held for years.
Nell, his opinionated but loving wife of 17 years (Nell Carter, star of Gimme A Break), taught piano at home (830 Fairview Lawn) to provide a little extra money for the family.
Together they were raising their four children – eldest son Raymond (Dante Beze), whose only apparent goal in life was to stay cool; pre-teen daughter Lorette (Caryn Ward), who was desperate to get a boyfriend; middle son Peter (Marlon Taylor), the family intellectual who wanted to become a doctor; and Nate (Trent Cameron), their youngest and a pint-sized con artist.
Living in the basement was Nell’s feisty loudmouthed mother, Helen (Leila Danette), who wished her daughter had married better and was not shy about saying it in front of poor Michael.
Nell Carter also performed the theme song, Nobody’s Got It Easy.
Nell Kirkland
Nell Carter Michael Kirkland
Roger E. Mosley Raymond Kirkland (age 16)
Dante Beze Lorette Kirkland (age 14)
Caryn Ward Peter Kirkland (age 12)
Marlon Taylor Nathaniel “Nate” Kirkland (age 10)
Trent Cameron Helen
Leila Danette
