"The Mothers-In-Law" (1967) TV series 1967-1969

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Creators:

Bob Carroll Jr.
Madelyn Davis

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

10 September 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Roger and Kaye live next door to Eve and Herb. Eve and Herb's daughter Suzie marries Roger and Kaye's son Jerry...

Plot Keywords:

Sitcom

Cast

Eve Arden	...	Eve Hubbard (44 episodes, 1967-1969)
Kaye Ballard	...	Kaye Buell (44 episodes, 1967-1969)
Roger C. Carmel	...	Roger Buell (18 episodes, 1967-1968)

Runtime:

30 min (56 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 6625 Romaine Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Desi Arnaz Productions

Trivia:

The show was only moderately successful during its first season. NBC agreed to renew it on the condition that costs be held to the 1967 level, effectively freezing the talents' salaries. Producer Desi Arnaz obtained agreements from everyone on the cast and crew with the sole exception of Roger C. Carmel who held fast to a contractual point providing him with a raise upon renewal. Arnaz pleaded with him, pointing out that the livelihood of dozens of people were essentially at stake but he wouldn't budge, despite his then-decent $2,000 per week salary and the promise of residuals and was released. Carmel was replaced (by Richard Deacon) and the show sank miserably in the 1968 Neilsen's and was canceled. As a result, Carmel was effectively blackballed from the TV industry for several years.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "TV Land Moguls" (2004)

Underrated

This has to be one of the most underrated shows in the history of television. I remember watching reruns of it when I was younger and I thought it was pretty funny. I especially loved the dynamic of Kaye Ballard's and Eve Arden's characters. They both would always give advice to their children and usually with hilarious results. Also, this was one of the few shows on television at the time in which the in-laws didn't have an antagonistic relationship with each other. I hope that one day they will bring back this funny show in reruns.