Many Happy Returns (TV series)

Many Happy Returns
Format	Sitcom
Created by	Parke Levy
Starring	John McGiver Elinor Donahue Mark Goddard Elena Verdugo Mickey Manners
Theme music composer	David Rose Parke Levy
Composer(s)	Pete Rugolo
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	26
Production
Producer(s)	Parke Levy
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	Lindabob Productions, in association with MGM Television
Broadcast
Original channel	CBS
Picture format	Black and White
Original run	September 21, 1964 – April 12, 1965

Many Happy Returns is a situation comedy television series that ran on CBS for twenty-six episodes, from September 21, 1964 to April 12, 1965, under the sponsorship of General Foods.

Cast

The show starred character actor John McGiver (1913-1975). Known for his emphatic, precise, dogmatic bearing and firm command of the English language, McGiver played the part of a widower, Walter Burnley, the manager of the complaints department at the fictitious Krockmeyer's Department Store in Los Angeles.^[1]

Elinor Donahue (Father Knows Best, The Andy Griffith Show) played McGiver's daughter, Joan Randall. Mark Goddard (Lost in Space, Johnny Ringo) played Joan's husband, Bob Randall.^[2] The Randalls' daughter, Laurie, was played by Andrea Sacino. Elena Verdugo (Marcus Welby, M.D.) played complaint department employee Lynn Hall.

Others on the series were Richard Collier as Harry Price, Jesslyn Fax as Wilma Fritter, and Mickey Manners as Joe Foley, all cast as store employees. Character actress Doris Packer (Leave It to Beaver, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) played the role of Cornelia. Russell Collins was cast as Burnley's demanding, often unreasonable boss, Owen Sharp.^[3]

Episodes

Mickey Manners' character, Joe Foley, struggled in one episode ("Krockmeyer on Avon") in regard to an amateur production of Romeo and Juliet. Manners, unable to match McGiver for preciseness of language, convinces the boss to train him in ways to appreciate Shakespeare. When Manners does not respond suitably to McGiver's instruction, Manners decides to mouth the lines, while the precise McGiver reads the role of Romeo out of the sight of the audience.^[4]

The program was directed by Gene Reynolds, who later went on to work on several episodes of M*A*S*H. Episode titles of Many Happy Returns include:^[5]

• "Many Happy Returns" {pilot episode} (September 21, 1964)
• "Walter Meets the Machine" (September 28, 1964)
• "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dog" (October 5, 1964)
• "Bye Bye, Cupid" (October 12, 1964)
• "Burnley At the Bridge" (October 19, 1964)
• "Joe's Place" (October 26, 1964)
• "The Best Seller" (November 9, 1964)
• "Mother Burnley's Chickens" (November 16, 1964)
• "Krockmeyer on Avon" (November 23, 1964)
• "East Is West" (November 30, 1964)
• "The House Divided" (December 7, 1964)
• "The Fashion Show" (December 14, 1964)
• "The Shoplifter" (December 21, 1964)
• "The Surprise Visit" (December 28, 1964)
• "Taming of the Beast" (January 4, 1965)
• "No Nose Is Good Nose" (January 11, 1965)
• "Foster Father of the Bride" (January 18, 1965)
• "The Diamond" (January 25, 1965)
• "Three on a Honeymoon" (February 1, 1965)
• "Pop Goes the Easel" (February 8, 1965)
• "The Krockmeyer Caper" (February 15, 1965)
• "Big White Lie" (March 8, 1965)
• "Idol Threats" (March 22, 1965)
• "A Date for Walter" (March 29, 1965)
• "The Woodsman" (April 5, 1965)
• "It’s a Gift" (April 12, 1965)

History

Many Happy Returns was technically the successor to The Danny Thomas Show (for the same sponsor), which stopped production in 1964 after eleven years on the air, first on ABC, then on CBS. It aired at 9:30 Eastern on Mondays opposite the short-lived sitcom The Bing Crosby Show on ABC and The Andy Williams Show, alternating weekly with The Jonathan Winters Show, on the NBC schedule. Many Happy Returns theoretically benefited from having followed The Lucy Show on CBS. It preceded the drama Slattery's People.^[6]

See also

• 1964-65 United States network television schedule

References

1. ^ Many Happy Returns - TV.com
2. ^ Mark Goddard (I)
3. ^ "Many Happy Returns" (1964) - Full cast and crew
4. ^ "Many Happy Returns" (1964)
5. ^ Many Happy Returns - TV.com
6. ^ 1964-1965 United States network schedule, Monday

External links

• Many Happy Returns at the Internet Movie Database