"Soap" (1977) TV series 1977-1981

Creator:

Susan Harris
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

13 September 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The Groundbreaking Comedy Series!

Plot:

The soap-operish antics of two families: the Campbells and the Tates.

Plot Keywords:

Soap Opera | Cult TV | Brother Sister Relationship | Brother Brother Relationship | Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 18 nominations

Cast

Rod Roddy	...	Announcer (84 episodes, 1977-1981)
Katherine Helmond	...	Jessica Tate (82 episodes, 1977-1981)
Richard Mulligan	...	Burt Campbell (82 episodes, 1977-1981)
Cathryn Damon	...	Mary Campbell (80 episodes, 1977-1981)
Ted Wass	...	Danny Dallas (74 episodes, 1977-1981)
Billy Crystal	...	Jodie Dallas (73 episodes, 1977-1981)
Robert Mandan	...	Chester Tate (73 episodes, 1977-1981)
Jennifer Salt	...	Eunice Tate / ... (64 episodes, 1977-1981)
Jimmy Baio	...	Billy Tate (62 episodes, 1977-1981)
Diana Canova	...	Corinne Tate-Flotsky / ... (59 episodes, 1977-1980)
Arthur Peterson	...	The Major (57 episodes, 1977-1981)
Jay Johnson	...	Bob Campbell / ... (57 episodes, 1977-1981)
Robert Guillaume	...	Benson DuBois (49 episodes, 1977-1980)
Donnelly Rhodes	...	Dutch Leitner (35 episodes, 1978-1981)

Series Directed by
Jay Sandrich		(51 episodes, 1977-1979)
J.D. Lobue		(28 episodes, 1979-1981)

Series Writing credits
Susan Harris		(78 episodes, 1977-1981)
Stu Silver		(47 episodes, 1978-1981)
Dick Clair		(12 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jenna McMahon		(12 episodes, 1980-1981)
Danny Jacobson		(7 episodes, 1981)
Tony Lang		(6 episodes, 1977)
Barry Vigon		(5 episodes, 1981)
Jordan Crittenden		(4 episodes, 1978)

Series Produced by
Susan Harris	....	producer / executive producer / ... (30 episodes, 1977-1981)
Paul Junger Witt	....	executive producer (30 episodes, 1977-1980)
Tony Thomas	....	executive producer (30 episodes, 1977-1980)
Andrew J. Selig	....	associate producer (25 episodes, 1977-1980)
Marsha Posner Williams	....	assistant producer / associate producer (4 episodes, 1980)
Harry Waterson	....	associate producer (2 episodes, 1977)

Series Original Music by
George Aliceson Tipton		(35 episodes, 1977-1980)

Series Cinematography by
Larry Boelens		(11 episodes, 1977)
Richard Hissong		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Gary Anderson		(25 episodes, 1977-1978)
Barry Cohen		(6 episodes, 1978)
Jean Jellinek Jones		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Linda Otto		(2 episodes, 1977)
Judith Weiner		(1 episode, 1980-1981)

Series Production Design by
Edward Stephenson		(27 episodes, 1977-1980)

Series Set Decoration by
Robert Checchi		(2 episodes, 1977)

Series Costume Design by
Judy Evans		(16 episodes, 1977-1980)
Al Lehman		(2 episodes, 1977)

Series Makeup Department
Shanon Ely	....	hairdresser (11 episodes, 1977-1978)
Ray Steele	....	makeup artist (11 episodes, 1978-1980)
Maurice Stein	....	makeup artist (10 episodes, 1977-1978)
Silvia Abascal	....	assistant hair stylist (9 episodes, 1981)
Larry Abbott	....	makeup artist (7 episodes, 1977)
Joyce Conroy	....	hairdresser (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Production Management
Don Richetta	....	post-production supervisor (15 episodes, 1977-1980)
Barry Haworth	....	unit manager (13 episodes, 1977-1978)
Tom Bruehl	....	unit manager (2 episodes, 1977)
Gil Junger	....	post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J.D. Lobue	....	associate director (23 episodes, 1977-1978)
Bob Lally	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1977)

Series Art Department
Edwin McCormick	....	props (4 episodes, 1981)

Series Sound Department
Art Morgenstern	....	audio (12 episodes, 1977-1978)
Doc Siegel	....	audio (11 episodes, 1977)
Ken Becker	....	audio (2 episodes, 1977)
Joyce Grossman	....	audio (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Stunts
Jim J. Poslof	....	stunts (1 episode, 1980)
Greg Anderson	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen A. Jones	....	camera operator (17 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jan Lowry	....	camera operator (15 episodes, 1977-1980)
Larry Boelens	....	lighting consultant (14 episodes, 1977-1978)
D.J. Diomedes	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1977-1980)
Warren Cress	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1977-1978)
Don Jones	....	camera operator (11 episodes, 1977)
Rocky Danielson	....	camera operator (10 episodes, 1977)
Gary Stanton	....	camera operator (10 episodes, 1977)
Alan Keath Walker	....	lighting director (10 episodes, 1978)
Jim Balden	....	camera operator (9 episodes, 1977-1978)
Dick Engstrom	....	video operator (9 episodes, 1978)
Blair White	....	camera operator (7 episodes, 1978-1980)
Irv Waitsman	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 1977)
Mike Keeler	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 1977)
Richard Hissong	....	lighting director (3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Ken Dahlquist	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
John Gillis	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
Larry Heider	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
Jim Ratcliffe	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1977)
Dick Watson	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
George Wood	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
Bud Holland	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1978)
Art LaCombe	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1980)
Charlene Morgan	....	lighting board operator (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Judy Evans	....	costume supervisor (11 episodes, 1977)

Series Editorial Department
Ralph Riskin	....	editorial supervisor (7 episodes, 1978)
Jean Jellinek Jones	....	editorial supervisor / post-production coordinator (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Music Department
Scott Gale	....	music coordinator (16 episodes, 1980-1981)

Series Other crew
Carl Lauten	....	stage manager (26 episodes, 1977-1980)
Phil Ramuno	....	stage manager / associate director (25 episodes, 1977-1980)
Marsha Posner Williams	....	assistant to producers / production secretary / ... (25 episodes, 1977-1978)
Linda Day	....	script supervisor / assistant to the producer (24 episodes, 1977-1978)
Gerry Bucci	....	technical director / studio supervisor (15 episodes, 1977-1980)
Jim Wycoff	....	studio supervisor / technical director (13 episodes, 1977-1978)
Linda Hamner	....	production assistant (13 episodes, 1978)
Christopher Cookson	....	engineering supervisor (12 episodes, 1977-1978)
Chuck Reilly	....	video (11 episodes, 1977)
Bob Jones	....	technical director (9 episodes, 1977)
Randy Blim	....	engineering supervisor (7 episodes, 1977)
Nancy Rogow	....	production assistant (4 episodes, 1979)
Jerry Cell	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1977)
Lynn Derwin	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1977)
Steve Dichter	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1977)
Mike Maloof	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1977)
Susan Beavers	....	production associate / script supervisor (2 episodes, 1980)
Eric Clay	....	video (2 episodes, 1980)
Tony Neely	....	production coordinator (2 episodes, 1980)
Tom Carpenter	....	stage manager (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1977-1981) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia House (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (complete first season)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (complete second season)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (complete third & fourth seasons)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (complete series)
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)

Other Companies

• Golden West Videotape  facilities
• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (93 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M (some episodes) | Australia:PG (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions

Trivia:

The series ended with several cliffhangers unresolved, including Jessica about to be executed by a communist firing squad. A 1983 episode of spin-off series "Benson" (1979) mentions Jessica's disappearance, noting the Tate family is seeking to have her declared legally dead. In this episode, Jessica appears as an apparition whom only Benson can see or hear, revealing to Benson that she is not dead, but in a coma somewhere in South America. The other cliffhangers are not referenced, leaving it to the viewers' imagination as to what might have happened.

Quotes:

Ingrid Svenson:You think I'm finished?
Jessica Gatling Tate:No, Swedish.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Magic of ABC (1977) (TV)

These questions, and many more, will be answered...

I began watching this show when I was rather young - elementary-school aged, really, & because of its episodic nature (for I read comic books voraciously, & loved "to be continued" storylines) - well, probably because I liked the guy with the puppet - I was hooked. I watched it weekly & remember praying to God that it wouldn't be cancelled. The magic of the show was that it taught me so much. I knew little or nothing about homosexuality, infidelity, racism, hell, even the Mafia or Central American revolutions, until I watched this show. It was genuinely funny - Bert thinking he could turn invisible, Benson's "I ain't getting that," everyone talking to Bob when they knew damn well Chuck was throwing his voice - I laughed & laughed.

As I watch TV now, I really miss the topicality of this show - the fact that, with a simple parody of soap operas, they managed to bring important issues of the day to the forefront. No one was safe - even alien abductions were lampooned, years before there was an X-Files that could stand a bit of ribbing.

Yeah, it's dated, & when I saw a few episodes in repeats a while back, I was more moved by my old feelings - these were friends I hadn't seen in ages! - than by the story & the jokes. But the point was, it was brave - like "All In The Family," like "Good Times" - though not a Norman Lear creation - braver than anything on right now. Someone else suggested you watch from day one - that's not all that important, because you'll catch on soon enough (it's a soap opera, after all), but I do believe you'll come to care for the characters & their ridiculous predicaments soon enough. & you'll be amazed at how utterly clever it is.

Be warned, though - like "Twin Peaks" it doesn't really end, & if you're coming at it for the first time, you'll be sad when you get to season four's end & there's nothing following. I was.