"Charles in Charge" (1984) TV series 1984-1990

Creator:

Michael Jacobs
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

3 October 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Charles, a college student, moves in with the Powell family as the housekeeper, baby-sitter, and friend to the children...

Plot Keywords:

College Student | Best Friend | Housekeeper | Housework | New Jersey

Awards:

2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Scott Baio	...	Charles (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Willie Aames	...	Buddy Lembeck (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Nicole Eggert	...	Jamie Powell (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Josie Davis	...	Sarah Powell (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Alexander Polinsky	...	Adam Powell (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
James T. Callahan	...	Walter Powell (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Ellen Travolta	...	Lillian (70 episodes, 1987-1990)

Series Directed by
Scott Baio		(36 episodes, 1987-1990)
Alan Rafkin		(19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Zane Buzby		(13 episodes, 1987-1990)
Phil Ramuno		(13 episodes, 1987-1989)
Bob Claver		(11 episodes, 1987-1990)
Christine Ballard		(7 episodes, 1989-1990)
Madeline Cripe		(6 episodes, 1987-1988)
Jules Lichtman		(3 episodes, 1987)
Tony Singletary		(2 episodes, 1984)
Mary Lou Belli		(2 episodes, 1988-1989)
Brian Levant		(2 episodes, 1988-1989)
Gary Brown		(2 episodes, 1988)
Bonnie Franklin		(1 episode, 1988)

Series Writing credits
Michael Jacobs		(125 episodes, 1984-1990)
Bill Greer		(36 episodes, 1987-1990)
Kathy Greer		(36 episodes, 1987-1990)
Adrienne Armstrong		(16 episodes, 1987-1990)
Lee Aronsohn		(13 episodes, 1987-1989)
Marc Sheffler		(10 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mitchell Bank		(7 episodes, 1987-1990)
David DiGregorio		(7 episodes, 1990)
Arnie Wess		(7 episodes, 1990)
Mitzi McCall		(6 episodes, 1987-1988)
Judy Pioli		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Marc Sotkin		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Pamela Pettler		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Bud Wiser		(3 episodes, 1989)
Jeffrey Ferro		(2 episodes, 1985)
Fredric Weiss		(2 episodes, 1985)
Chuck Lorre		(2 episodes, 1987)
Alan Moskowitz		(2 episodes, 1987)
Seth Weisbord		(2 episodes, 1987)
John Vorhaus		(2 episodes, 1988)
Willie Aames		(2 episodes, 1989-1990)
Al Burton		(2 episodes, 1989)
Howard Friedlander		(2 episodes, 1989)
Duncan Scott McGibbon		(2 episodes, 1989)
Ken Peragine		(2 episodes, 1989)
James Vallely		(2 episodes, 1989)
Ron Zimmerman		(2 episodes, 1989)

Series Produced by
Al Burton	....	executive producer (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Jane Startz	....	co-executive producer (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Bill Greer	....	supervising producer (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Kathy Greer	....	supervising producer (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Michael Jacobs	....	co-executive producer / producer (74 episodes, 1984-1988)
John Ward	....	associate producer (74 episodes, 1984-1988)
Brian J. Cowan	....	associate producer (52 episodes, 1988-1990)
Mitchell Bank	....	co-producer / producer (46 episodes, 1984-1988)
Lisa Melamed	....	co-producer (3 episodes, 1987)
Sandy Sprung	....	co-producer (3 episodes, 1987)

Series Original Music by
David Kurtz		(51 episodes, 1987-1988)
Timothy Thompson		(26 episodes, 1988-1989)
Todd Hayen		(26 episodes, 1989-1990)

Series Cinematography by
Tony Yarlett		(27 episodes, 1984-1988)
Carl Pitsch		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Pam Marshall		(28 episodes, 1987-1988)
Tucker Wiard		(18 episodes, 1984-1985)
Ron Menzies		(8 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Casting by
Melvin Johnson		(27 episodes, 1987-1988)
Donald Paul Pemrick		(21 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Art Direction by
John C. Mula		(126 episodes, 1984-1990)

Series Set Decoration by
Sam J. Jones		(9 episodes, 1984-1985)
Gregory Garrison		(6 episodes, 1985)
John Told		(5 episodes, 1984)
Patricia Suzanne Bruner		(5 episodes, 1987-1988)
Deborah Siegel		(2 episodes, 1985)

Series Costume Design by
Sandra Baker		(1 episode, 1984)

Series Makeup Department
Marina Hart	....	hair stylist (52 episodes, 1987-1988)
Lisa Pharren	....	makeup artist (28 episodes, 1987-1988)
Larry Abbott	....	makeup artist (20 episodes, 1984-1985)
Delree F. Todd	....	hair stylist (12 episodes, 1984-1985)
Caryl Codon-Tharp	....	hair stylist (8 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Madeline Cripe	....	associate director (5 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mary Hardwick	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1988)

Series Art Department
Ed Brown	....	lead man (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Russ Gary	....	audio (22 episodes, 1984-1985)
Myles Weiner	....	audio (5 episodes, 1987-1988)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Sager	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 1989-1990)
Dave Heckman	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dorothy Baca	....	costume supervisor (14 episodes, 1984-1985)
Bill Slattery	....	costume supervisor (14 episodes, 1984-1985)
David Baca	....	costume supervisor (3 episodes, 1987)
Patricia A. Lopez	....	costume supervisor (3 episodes, 1987)
Paul Delucca	....	costume supervisor (2 episodes, 1988)
Sherry Thompson	....	costume supervisor (2 episodes, 1988)

Series Music Department
Al Burton	....	composer: theme music (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
David Kurtz	....	composer: theme music (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Timothy Thompson	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Kit Wilkinson	....	script supervisor (52 episodes, 1987-1988)
Lee Aronsohn	....	story consultant / executive story consultant (28 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mitchell Bank	....	program coordinator (22 episodes, 1984-1985)
Lisa Melamed	....	program coordinator (22 episodes, 1984-1985)
Gene Abravaya	....	stage manager (21 episodes, 1984-1985)
Chuck Reilly	....	technical director (21 episodes, 1984-1985)
Madeline Cripe	....	script supervisor (20 episodes, 1984-1985)
Pat Fischer-Doak	....	associate director (20 episodes, 1984-1985)
Judy Pioli	....	executive story consultant (18 episodes, 1984-1985)
Marc Sotkin	....	executive story consultant (18 episodes, 1984-1985)
Steve Burgess	....	stage manager (16 episodes, 1984-1985)
Wesley Staples	....	studio teacher (13 episodes, 1984-1985)
Jeffrey Ferro	....	executive story consultant (9 episodes, 1984-1985)
Fredric Weiss	....	executive story consultant (9 episodes, 1984-1985)
George Tibbles	....	executive story consultant (8 episodes, 1984-1985)
Patricia Zakarian	....	assistant to producer (6 episodes, 1985-1988)
Dennis Capps	....	stage manager (5 episodes, 1987-1988)
Lonnie Steinberg	....	stage manager (4 episodes, 1984)
Kenneth R. Shapiro	....	technical director (3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Rick Edwards	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1984-1988)
Janine King	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1985)
Mary Hardwick	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1987)
Adrienne Armstrong	....	executive script consultant (2 episodes, 1988)
Mitzi McCall	....	executive script consultant (2 episodes, 1988)
Marc Sheffler	....	executive story consultant (2 episodes, 1988)
Steven Stark	....	production consultant (2 episodes, 1988)
Tom Brocato	....	publicist (unknown episodes)
Carolyn Hayes	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Kate McCallum	....	script coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Al Burton Productions
• Scholastic Productions
• Universal TV

Distributors

• Arts Alliance America (2008) (USA) (DVD) (complete third season)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1984-1985)
• Hart Sharp Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (complete second season)
• MCA/Universal Television
• Studios USA Television
• The Program Exchange
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (complete first season)
• Universal TV
• Virgil Films & Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (complete fourth & fifth seasons)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (126 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Al Burton Productions

Trivia:

Charles's last name is never mentioned. In fact, at times the writers had to go out of their way to avoid mentioning his, or his mother's surname. This lead people to think that Scott Baio was once again playing the role of Charles Arcola aka "Chachi" from "Happy Days" (1974) and "Joanie Loves Chachi" (1982). Ellen Travolta, played Scott Baio's mother on all three series. On "Charles in Charge" (1984) her name was Lillian and on the previous two series she was Louisa Arcola-Delvecchio.

Quotes:

Douglas Pembroke:...Jason's gone too far this time. He just took a shower and used my lucky towel.
Charles:What's lucky about it?
Douglas Pembroke:It always gets me dry!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Robot Chicken: Losin' the Wobble (#3.12)" (2007)

Great sitcom for kids

I rented this series for my 11 year old daughter to watch with me,as I had loved it when I was a kid and it was on first-run. I'm happy to say that she loves it, too. It's a wholesome show for kids to watch that is amusing and has a good moral to every show. I find it very refreshing to watch, and enjoy it myself, even after all these years. It's hard to find shows for my daughter to watch that aren't filled with sexual references, even when the show is supposed to be aimed at kids. Yes, the show is dated a bit, but if you're looking for a fun, entertaining, wholesome show for your kids to watch that hasn't been shown to rerun death already on TV, this is the show for you.