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"My Sister Sam" (1986)
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Overview
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Release Date:
6 October 1986 (USA)
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Plot:
Comedy about a San Francisco photographer whose teenage sister comes to live with her from Oregon. Most...
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Awards:
Nominated for Primetime Emmy.
Another 1 win
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NewsDesk:
Tony Todd, David Naughton Hitting Up Pittsburgh's Horror Realm Convention!
(From Icons of Fright. 28 August 2009, 5:02 AM, PDT)
(From Icons of Fright. 28 August 2009, 5:02 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Good show, canceled too soon
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Cast
(Series Cast Summary - 5 of 12)| Pam Dawber | ... | Samantha 'Sam' Russell (44 episodes, 1986-1988) | |
| Jenny O'Hara | ... | Dixie Randazzo (44 episodes, 1986-1988) | |
| Joel Brooks | ... | J.D. Lucas (44 episodes, 1986-1988) | |
| David Naughton | ... | Jack Kincaid (44 episodes, 1986-1988) | |
| Rebecca Schaeffer | ... | Patti Russell (44 episodes, 1986-1988) |
Additional Details
Runtime:
30 min
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Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Despite "common knowledge" to the contrary, the show was not canceled because of Rebecca Schaeffer's death. The show had been canceled for a year when she was murdered.
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Golden Girls: Nothing to Fear, But Fear Itself (#3.5)" (1987)
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This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (6 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for "My Sister Sam" (1986)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| When will this be released on DVD? | boatierra |
| How did the show end? | jenjk128 |
| a really nice show | wgunnelsiii |
| Aunt Elsie's Visit | johnwclifford |
| My Sister Sam at Amazon | labattfreak |
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This was a great series starring Pam Dawber ("Mork & Mindy") as a San Francisco photographer whose life was turned upside down when her teenage sister Patti (Rebecca Schaeffer) came to live with her. Samantha (Dawber) never really knew whether to treat Patti as a friend, sister, or child, and sometimes, she treated her as all three.
The series premiered in 1986, and after mild success on Monday nights, CBS tampered with its schedule and moved it to Saturday nights opposite NBC's successful comedy lineup. Unable to find the show, its audience dwindled to one of the lowest on network TV, and CBS canceled it in mid-1988, after only half of the second season had aired.
A little over a year later (July 1989 to be exact) Schaeffer, then a promising movie star ("Scenes from the Class Struggle In Beverly Hills") was shot and killed in her Los Angeles home by a deranged fan who had idolized her as the young, energetic character she played on "My Sister Sam." Contrary to popular belief, "My Sister Sam" left the air 15 months BEFORE Schaeffer was murdered. Not long thereafter, USA Network picked up syndication rights to the series, eventually running all 44 episodes (including those never shown on CBS).
The show's writing was crisp, sharp and witty, and the acting, especially that of the young, never-before-seen Schaeffer, was top notch. Years later, the WB sitcom "What I Like About You" (2002-2006) re-introduced the premise with some success, but did not match the promise of its earlier sitcom cousin.
It would be a joy to see this show again on DVD.