The Associates (1979–1980)

It revolves around three young law school graduates who had just joined the prestigious firm of Bass and Marshall as associates, beginning their five-to-seven-year trial period. Daughter of... See full summary »

Creators:

James L. Brooks, Stan Daniels, Charlie Hauck, Ed. Weinberger

Stars:

Wilfrid Hyde-White, Martin Short, Alley Mills

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Emerson Marshall (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Martin Short	...	Tucker Kerwin (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Alley Mills	...	Leslie Dunn (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Joe Regalbuto	...	Eliot Streeter (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Shelley Smith	...	Sara James (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Tim Thomerson	...	Johnny Danko (13 episodes, 1979-1980)

Storyline

It revolves around three young law school graduates who had just joined the prestigious firm of Bass and Marshall as associates, beginning their five-to-seven-year trial period. Daughter of a poor New York family, Leslie recently graduated from Columbia, and felt for the oppressed. Bass and Marshall did not usually represent the oppressed. Tucker...was a Midwesterner slightly out of step with his Ivy League Colleagues, a little naive but very charming. Sara was a Boston blueblood, bright as well as sexy. They were all at the mercy of a hierarchy including such oddballs as formidable but slightly dotty Senior Partner Emerson Marshall...and dedicated junior partner Eliot Streeter, who had only one goal -- to take over the firm...Counterpointing all this class was Johnny Danko, the 21-year-old mailboy, whose only goal was to make time with beautiful chicks.

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Plot Keywords:

sitcom

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

I novellini

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

John-Charles-Walters Productions, Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (13 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Battle of the Network Stars VII (1979)

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Soundtracks

"Wall Street Blues"
Written by Albert Brooks
Performed by B.B. King

User Reviews

Get "Associate"-d....

Here is a rarity: a one season wonder that should have lasted more than one season.

"The Associates", a sitcom about the young lawyers at a prestigious law firm, came from the pen of James L. Brooks, Stan Daniels and Ed. Weinberger, the same geniuses behind the classic "Taxi". But whereas "Taxi" took place in the blue-collar world, this series tackled the white-collar side of the fence.

Short played the Alex Regar-type, the guy who always tried to get things done right but found that things don't always don't work out so smoothly. Every episode found the lawyers faced with dilemmas such as freedom of speech, inner-office romance, fighting to move ahead in the firm, etc. All of this, naturally, handled with the same deft aplomb that Brooks, Daniels and Weinberger gave to taxi drivers.

Consider, too, the fact that such comic pros also were on hand as Regalbuto, as the sniveling Streeter, Thomerson as the hip-yet-loose Danko, Mills as the office cutie Dunn and Smith as the more-sensible female James. Then there was Hyde-White, who played the dottering head of the firm. His constant stream-of-consciousness ramblings were a show highlight.

It's amazing how well I remember this series, not having seen it for so long. But I guess that if a show's that good, it's worth remembering. I'm sure that somewhere in the world, someone is watching "The Associates" and thinking the exact same thing.

Ten stars for "The Associates", good TV worth more than one rerun! Case closed!