"Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" (1976) TV series 1976-1978

Director:

Bob Lally

Writer:

Brad Buckner (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

5 January 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Set in fictional Fernwood, Ohio, this deliriously demented serial focused on the beleaguered heroine Mary Hartman...

Plot Keywords:

Spoof | Repetition In Title | Cult TV | Indecent Exposure | Waxy Yellow Buildup

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Louise Lasser	...	Mary Hartman (17 episodes, 1976-1977)
Greg Mullavey	...	Tom Hartman (16 episodes, 1976-1978)
Beverly Garland	...	Cookie LaRue (16 episodes, 1976-1977)
Norman Alden	...	Coach Leroy Fedders (15 episodes, 1976-1977)
Debralee Scott	...	Cathy Shumway (14 episodes, 1976-1977)
Mary Kay Place	...	Loretta Haggers (14 episodes, 1976)
Graham Jarvis	...	Charlie Haggers (14 episodes, 1976)
Dody Goodman	...	Martha Shumway (12 episodes, 1976)
Philip Bruns	...	George Shumway (10 episodes, 1976-1977)
Bruce Solomon	...	Sergeant Dennis Foley (10 episodes, 1976-1977)
Claudia Lamb	...	Heather Hartman (9 episodes, 1976)
Victor Kilian	...	Raymond Larkin (9 episodes, 1976-1977)
Salome Jens	...	Mae Olinski (7 episodes, 1976-1977)

Runtime:

30 min (325 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

Filmways Television

Trivia:

Norman Lear's shows were being produced at Metromedia Square in Hollywood, but there was inadequate space for this show, so they rented studio space from KTLA. The KTLA studio was across Fernwood Street, so they started calling KTLA "Fernwood", which then became the name of the fictitious town where the show is set.

Quotes:

Martha Shumway: Yes, yes, things can always be worse - like my uncle Wilbur, who used to work in a cardboard factory. He came home one day with a splinter in his finger - just a little bitty old splinter. But it turned out that he had blood poisoning.
Charlie Haggers: Well, that's terrible.
Martha Shumway: And next day, they amputated his leg.
Charlie Haggers: On account of a splinter in his finger?
Martha Shumway: Oh no, no, not because of that. They found a growth in his leg.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Saving Private Brian (#5.4)" (2006)

TVLAND must bring this back for at least a few MARATHONS!

This should MUST be resurrected.

A more insightfully absurd and comically astute series has not been made. Mix the daily grind of ALL MY CHILDREN, the experimentation of MONTY PYTHON, the self-absorbed and urbane existentialism of WOODY ALLEN and the offbeat quality of BLUE VELVET and you have MARY HARTMAN MARY HARTMAN.

What a fabulous cast and what kooky writing! This is black comedy at its most tongue-in-cheek.

TVLAND bring it back, please!