"Grace Under Fire" (1993) TV series 1993-1998

Creator:

Chuck Lorre
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

29 September 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Grace is a recovering alcoholic, now divorced from an abusive marriage, struggling to bring up 2.4 children on her own.

Plot Keywords:

Pharmacist | Oil Refinery | Male Female Relationship | Multiple Actors For One Character | Divorcee

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 7 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Brett Butler	...	Grace Kelly (112 episodes, 1993-1998)
Casey Sander	...	Wade Swoboda (112 episodes, 1993-1998)
Kaitlin Cullum	...	Libby Kelly (112 episodes, 1993-1998)
Dylan Sprouse	...	Patrick Kelly (112 episodes, 1993-1998)
Cole Sprouse	...	Patrick Kelly (112 episodes, 1993-1998)
Dave Thomas	...	Russell Norton (111 episodes, 1993-1998)
Julie White	...	Nadine Swoboda (97 episodes, 1993-1997)
Jon Paul Steuer	...	Quentin Kelly #1 (73 episodes, 1993-1996)
Peggy Rea	...	Jean Kelly (51 episodes, 1993-1998)
Walter Olkewicz	...	Dougie Boudreau (48 episodes, 1993-1996)

Series Directed by
Michael Lessac		(54 episodes, 1993-1996)
John Bowab		(16 episodes, 1996-1997)
David Trainer		(12 episodes, 1997-1998)
Howard Murray		(10 episodes, 1994-1998)
Phil Ramuno		(6 episodes, 1995-1998)
James Hampton		(4 episodes, 1997-1998)
Gary Halvorson		(3 episodes, 1996-1998)
Ron Moseley		(3 episodes, 1997-1998)
Alan Myerson		(2 episodes, 1996-1997)

Series Writing credits
Chuck Lorre		(112 episodes, 1993-1998)
Paul Raley		(11 episodes, 1993-1998)
Bill Masters		(8 episodes, 1993-1995)
J.J. Wall		(8 episodes, 1994-1996)
Bob Dolan Smith		(6 episodes, 1993-1995)
Ric Swartzlander		(6 episodes, 1996-1997)
Jeff Abugov		(5 episodes, 1994-1995)
Holly Hester		(5 episodes, 1995-1997)
Eric Brand		(4 episodes, 1993-1995)
Robert Kurtz		(4 episodes, 1993-1995)
Alan Ball		(4 episodes, 1994-1995)
Kathy Ann Stumpe		(4 episodes, 1994-1995)
Donald R. Beck		(4 episodes, 1995-1997)
Stevie Ray Fromstein		(4 episodes, 1996-1997)
Wayne Lemon		(3 episodes, 1993-1994)
Dava Savel		(3 episodes, 1993-1994)
Dottie Zicklin		(3 episodes, 1993-1994)
Marc Flanagan		(3 episodes, 1994-1995)
Lee Aronsohn		(2 episodes, 1994)
Brett Butler		(2 episodes, 1994)
Bryan Moore		(2 episodes, 1995-1997)
Joan Binder Weiss		(2 episodes, 1995-1997)
Pat Bullard		(2 episodes, 1995-1996)
Tim Doyle		(2 episodes, 1995-1996)
Danny Zuker		(2 episodes, 1995-1996)
Sonya Gay Bourn		(2 episodes, 1996-1998)
Matt Berry		(2 episodes, 1996-1997)
Geoffrey Miller		(2 episodes, 1996-1997)
David Nichols		(2 episodes, 1996-1997)
Sid Youngers		(2 episodes, 1996-1997)
Stephanie Phillips		(2 episodes, 1997)

Series Produced by
Caryn Mandabach	....	executive producer (112 episodes, 1993-1998)
Bob Dolan Smith	....	supervising producer / co-executive producer (112 episodes, 1993-1998)
Tom Werner	....	executive producer (112 episodes, 1993-1998)
Marcy Carsey	....	executive producer (111 episodes, 1993-1998)
J.J. Wall	....	producer / co-executive producer / ... (76 episodes, 1994-1997)
Joanne Curley-Kerner	....	producer (73 episodes, 1993-1996)
Brett Butler	....	executive producer (59 episodes, 1995-1998)
Paul Raley	....	producer / supervising producer / ... (51 episodes, 1995-1998)
Stevie Ray Fromstein	....	co-producer / producer (50 episodes, 1995-1997)
Holly Hester	....	co-producer / supervising producer / ... (50 episodes, 1995-1997)
Tim Doyle	....	supervising producer / executive producer (48 episodes, 1995-1997)
Brenda Hanes-Berg	....	co-producer (47 episodes, 1993-1995)
Franco Bario	....	producer (39 episodes, 1996-1998)
Matthew Conner	....	associate producer (39 episodes, 1996-1998)
Peter Tortorici	....	executive producer (39 episodes, 1996-1998)
Jeff Abugov	....	co-executive producer / executive producer (26 episodes, 1994-1995)
Marc Flanagan	....	executive producer (26 episodes, 1994-1995)
Kathy Ann Stumpe	....	supervising producer (26 episodes, 1994-1995)
Pat Bullard	....	co-producer (25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Marilyn Larson	....	co-producer (25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Miriam Trogdon	....	co-executive producer (25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Danny Zuker	....	producer (25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Matt Berry	....	producer (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
David Nichols	....	co-executive producer (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
Ric Swartzlander	....	producer (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
Sid Youngers	....	co-executive producer (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
Lee Aronsohn	....	producer (22 episodes, 1993-1994)
Wayne Lemon	....	supervising producer (22 episodes, 1993-1994)
Chuck Lorre	....	executive producer (22 episodes, 1993-1994)
Dava Savel	....	supervising producer (22 episodes, 1993-1994)
Hollis Rich	....	co-producer (19 episodes, 1994-1995)
Dottie Zicklin	....	co-producer / producer (16 episodes, 1994)
Bill Masters	....	co-producer (15 episodes, 1994-1995)
Lois Bromfield	....	producer (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
Janet Leahy	....	consulting producer (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
Mark Legan	....	producer (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
Nick LeRose	....	co-executive producer (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
J.J. Paulsen	....	supervising producer (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
Mark Solomon	....	co-executive producer (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
Tom Straw	....	executive producer (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
David Tochterman	....	executive producer (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
Ed Yeager	....	producer (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
Matt Ember	....	co-executive producer (6 episodes, 1997-1998)

Series Original Music by
Dennis C. Brown		(72 episodes, 1993-1996)
Mark Heyes		(38 episodes, 1996-1998)

Series Cinematography by
Daniel Flannery		(18 episodes, 1993-1994)

Series Film Editing by
Gary Anderson		(47 episodes, 1993-1995)
Sheila Hall		(34 episodes, 1996-1998)
Skip Collector		(25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Michael Lorenzo		(7 episodes, 1996)

Series Casting by
Lisa London		(93 episodes, 1993-1998)

Series Production Design by
Garvin Eddy		(111 episodes, 1993-1998)

Series Set Decoration by
Diane Yates		(34 episodes, 1995-1996)
Kelly J. Eddleman		(25 episodes, 1997-1998)
Richard C. Walker		(14 episodes, 1996-1997)

Series Costume Design by
Emily Draper		(62 episodes, 1995-1998)
Pamela Shaw		(48 episodes, 1993-1995)

Series Makeup Department
James Encao	....	hair stylist (89 episodes, 1994-1998)
Lisa Nash-Jones	....	makeup artist (63 episodes, 1993-1996)
Wayne Massarelli	....	makeup artist (48 episodes, 1996-1998)
Nick Eastman	....	hair stylist (18 episodes, 1993-1994)
Laura DeLuisa	....	hair stylist / makeup artist (17 episodes, 1993-1994)
Sheree Morgan	....	makeup artist (10 episodes, 1993-1994)
Philip Berkovitz	....	hair stylist (3 episodes, 1993)
Cynthia Hernandez	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Lisa Meyers	....	key hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Dionne Smith	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Liliana Coriasco	....	post-production manager (36 episodes, 1993-1995)
Courtney B. Conte	....	executive in charge of production (29 episodes, 1994-1998)
Rita Burton	....	executive in charge of production (25 episodes, 1993-1994)
Jane Garcia	....	post-production supervisor (24 episodes, 1995-1996)
Doug Levy	....	post-production supervisor (2 episodes, 1998)
Dominic Markiewicz	....	assistant unit manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Howard Murray	....	associate director (11 episodes, 1993)

Series Art Department
Julie Heuer	....	property master / props (106 episodes, 1993-1998)
Michael Culhane	....	first assistant property master (91 episodes, 1993-1998)
Carrie Randazzo	....	art department (54 episodes, 1995-1998)
John A. Gomez	....	leadman (48 episodes, 1993-1995)
John Ballowe	....	carpenter (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
David Richardson	....	property master (21 episodes, 1993-1994)
Dennis De George	....	props (16 episodes, 1993-1994)
Colleen Broderick	....	on-set dresser (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Cory Loncar	....	lead person (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Drew Williams	....	lead person (11 episodes, 1996-1997)
Paul 'Butch' Kitchen Jr.	....	lead person (11 episodes, 1997)
Carlos Castellanos	....	set dresser (4 episodes, 1997)
Kelly J. Eddleman	....	lead person (3 episodes, 1996)
Tom Concordia	....	plate photographer (unknown episodes)
Richard J. Ramirez Jr.	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Rus Axsom	....	audio / sound mixer (86 episodes, 1993-1998)
Todd Grace	....	post-production sound (38 episodes, 1996-1998)
Craig Porter	....	post-production sound (38 episodes, 1996-1998)
Thom Wilson	....	audio (21 episodes, 1993-1994)
Yasmin Muniz	....	boom operator (20 episodes, 1997-1998)
Phyliss Bailey	....	boom operator (17 episodes, 1997-1998)
Ron Garrard	....	sound editor (11 episodes, 1993)
Omie Craden	....	sound editor / sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes, 1996-1998)
Vince Rohr	....	sound (unknown episodes)
James D. Young	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Sam Horrigan	....	stunts (1 episode, 1997)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Darrin Norwall	....	gaffer (110 episodes, 1993-1998)
Ron Ervin	....	key grip (109 episodes, 1993-1998)
J.A. Stuewe Prudden	....	video operator (97 episodes, 1993-1998)
David Johnson	....	lighting designer / lighting design (89 episodes, 1994-1998)
Keeth Lawrence	....	camera operator (72 episodes, 1994-1998)
Tom Murphey	....	best boy (64 episodes, 1994-1996)
Bill Scott	....	camera operator (62 episodes, 1995-1998)
Max Bloom	....	camera operator (38 episodes, 1993-1995)
Al Luna	....	lighting board operator (36 episodes, 1996-1998)
Rick Caswell	....	camera operator (35 episodes, 1996-1998)
Martin Brown	....	camera operator (25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Dave Bushner	....	camera operator (25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Bryan Hays	....	lighting designer (22 episodes, 1993-1994)
Michael Yarish	....	still photographer (21 episodes, 1993-1994)
Rob Bonas	....	camera operator (21 episodes, 1994-1995)
Mike Denton	....	camera operator (20 episodes, 1994-1995)
Keith Hobelman	....	camera operator (19 episodes, 1993-1994)
Reed Samul	....	camera operator (18 episodes, 1993-1994)
Paul Basta	....	camera operator (17 episodes, 1996-1997)
Lew Friant	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Malcom Bhone	....	camera operator (12 episodes, 1993-1994)
Dean Cosanella	....	camera operator (11 episodes, 1996-1997)
Corey Kimball	....	camera operator (11 episodes, 1997-1998)
Jeff Messinger	....	video operator (6 episodes, 1993-1994)
Mark Warshaw	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 1993-1994)
Jon Purdy	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 1993-1998)
Steve Casaly	....	camera operator (4 episodes, 1993-1995)
Dana Ross Martin	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1993-1997)
John Colorado	....	key grip (2 episodes, 1993-1995)
Garry Taillon	....	video operator (2 episodes, 1996-1997)
David Rhea	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1996)
Tim O'Neill	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1997)
Michael Fastoso	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Wren Maloney	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Lisa London	....	original casting (11 episodes, 1993-1997)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bonnie Nipar	....	wardrobe supervisor (71 episodes, 1993-1996)
Chris Newlander	....	costumer / cutter/fitter (39 episodes, 1996-1998)
Marie Schley	....	costumer / key costumer (38 episodes, 1996-1998)
Daniel Weinberg	....	wardrobe supervisor (38 episodes, 1996-1998)
Julia Caston	....	costumer (31 episodes, 1993-1996)
Therese McDonough	....	costumer (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
Deanna Majewski	....	costumer (12 episodes, 1993-1994)
Pamela Carter	....	costumer (10 episodes, 1993-1994)
Dana Casey	....	set costumer (7 episodes, 1995-1996)
Gary Marthaler	....	costumer (6 episodes, 1993-1994)
Brooke C. Thatawat	....	key costumer (5 episodes, 1997-1998)

Series Editorial Department
Doug Levy	....	post-production coordinator (36 episodes, 1996-1998)

Series Music Department
Michael O'Brien	....	composer: theme music (33 episodes, 1996-1998)
Scott Cochran	....	music engineer (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Frank Khoury	....	driver (13 episodes, 1997-1998)

Series Other crew
Bob Christison	....	operations / vice president of operations / ... (111 episodes, 1993-1998)
Laura Black	....	assistant to producers (110 episodes, 1993-1998)
Pamela Lavaf	....	stage manager / associate director (110 episodes, 1993-1998)
Linda Parker	....	assistant to producers (109 episodes, 1993-1998)
Karl Messerschmidt	....	technical director (108 episodes, 1993-1998)
Ron Moseley	....	stage manager (107 episodes, 1993-1998)
Carol McKechnie	....	production associate (98 episodes, 1993-1997)
Linda Carmichael	....	studio teacher / teacher (93 episodes, 1994-1998)
Stephen Smith	....	production assistant (91 episodes, 1993-1997)
Bryan Moore	....	assistant to writers / executive assistant to writers (88 episodes, 1994-1998)
Edward Edwards	....	dialogue coach (79 episodes, 1994-1998)
Matthew Conner	....	production coordinator (73 episodes, 1993-1996)
Abigail Davis	....	assistant: Brett Butler / production assistant / ... (72 episodes, 1993-1996)
Tracy Holden	....	production secretary / assistant to producers / ... (62 episodes, 1995-1998)
Heather Marcus	....	studio teacher (59 episodes, 1995-1998)
Carrie Randazzo	....	staging services (57 episodes, 1993-1996)
Doug Levy	....	production assistant (50 episodes, 1994-1996)
Joan Binder Weiss	....	assistant to writers (50 episodes, 1995-1997)
Mark Romano	....	production assistant (49 episodes, 1994-1996)
Allan Berkowitz	....	production assistant / assistant: Brett Butler (47 episodes, 1996-1998)
Jan Jessel	....	assistant to writers (45 episodes, 1993-1995)
Jim Rhine	....	production assistant (44 episodes, 1994-1996)
Elaine Hall Katz	....	coach (42 episodes, 1993-1997)
April Brown	....	production accountant (42 episodes, 1994-1996)
P. Jeff Ramuno	....	associate director (41 episodes, 1995-1997)
Peter D. Wessel	....	staging operations (38 episodes, 1993-1995)
Chris Peterson	....	production assistant / assistant to producer (38 episodes, 1996-1998)
Daliah Rogow Nichols	....	production executive (38 episodes, 1996-1998)
Sandra Turk	....	production accountant (38 episodes, 1996-1998)
Bill Masters	....	story editor / executive story editor (32 episodes, 1993-1994)
Paul Raley	....	executive story editor / story editor (32 episodes, 1994-1996)
Barry Steiger	....	assistant: Brett Butler / assistance: Brett Butler (28 episodes, 1996-1997)
Susan Campbell	....	assistant to producers (26 episodes, 1994-1995)
Kimberly Lohman	....	assistant to producers (26 episodes, 1994-1995)
Chuck Lorre	....	creative consultant (26 episodes, 1994-1995)
Howard Murray	....	associate director (26 episodes, 1994-1995)
Kathryn Weiss	....	assistant to producers (26 episodes, 1994-1995)
Kimberly Kessler	....	assistant to writers (25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Daria Paris	....	executive assistant: Brett Butler (25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Ric Swartzlander	....	executive story editor / story editor (25 episodes, 1995-1996)
Donald R. Beck	....	story editor (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
Regina Gavin	....	assistant to writers (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
Natasha Goldstone	....	production assistant (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
Joshua Mark	....	assistant to producer (25 episodes, 1996-1997)
Laverne Eng	....	assistant to producers / assistant: Brett Butler (24 episodes, 1993-1997)
Geoffrey Miller	....	assistant to producers (24 episodes, 1995-1996)
David Kemke	....	assistant to writers (23 episodes, 1996-1997)
Liz Alexanian	....	assistant to producers / production assistant (22 episodes, 1993-1994)
Karen Hall	....	creative consultant (22 episodes, 1994-1995)
Dennison Barry	....	stage manager (22 episodes, 1996-1998)
Eric Brand	....	executive story editor (21 episodes, 1993-1994)
Robert Kurtz	....	executive story editor (21 episodes, 1993-1994)
Lara Beatus	....	production assistant (21 episodes, 1996-1997)
Blake Harrison	....	assistant to writers (16 episodes, 1993-1994)
Kevin Vavasseur	....	production assistant (16 episodes, 1993-1994)
Brett Butler	....	executive consultant (15 episodes, 1994)
Adam Berkowitz	....	production assistant (15 episodes, 1995-1996)
Dave Blurton	....	technical advisor / technical (14 episodes, 1993-1994)
Tom Reeder	....	executive story consultant (14 episodes, 1997-1998)
John Schwab	....	assistant to writers / production assistant (13 episodes, 1994-1996)
John D. Beck	....	assistant to writers (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Andrew Brown	....	production assistant (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Andrea Frazer	....	assistant to writers (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Marquis Garner	....	production assistant (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Justin Haley	....	production assistant / script supervisor (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Matt Karis	....	assistant to writers (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Margit Kurzer	....	assistant to producers (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Stephanie Phillips	....	story editor (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Brandon Ricketts	....	production assistant (13 episodes, 1997-1998)
Brian Favorite	....	stage production assistant / production assistant / ... (12 episodes, 1993-1994)
Beverly Rose	....	production accountant (12 episodes, 1994-1995)
David Tochterman	....	creative executive (12 episodes, 1996-1997)
Dottie Zicklin	....	executive story editor (11 episodes, 1993-1994)
Christy Hebble	....	stage manager (11 episodes, 1994-1997)
Sharon McKeague	....	studio teacher (11 episodes, 1995)
Kristopher Kyer	....	dialogue coach (11 episodes, 1997-1998)
Jeannie Taylor	....	script supervisor / production associate (11 episodes, 1997-1998)
Alan Ball	....	story editor (10 episodes, 1995)
Jack Allen	....	assistant: Brett Butler / assistance: Brett Butler (10 episodes, 1997-1998)
Dean Weichel	....	stage manager (9 episodes, 1995-1997)
Dennis Klein	....	creative consultant (8 episodes, 1994)
Gil Goldberg	....	assistant: Brett Butler (7 episodes, 1994)
Jeffrey Thomas	....	stage manager (6 episodes, 1993-1994)
Jan Luce	....	production associate / script supervisor (6 episodes, 1997-1998)
Marc Peterson	....	stage manager (5 episodes, 1993-1994)
Wendy Neckels	....	associate director (5 episodes, 1994-1995)
Paul Markoe	....	stage manager (5 episodes, 1995-1997)
N. Owen Taylor Jr.	....	production assistant (5 episodes, 1995)
Heather McPhaul	....	assistant to writers (4 episodes, 1993)
Nick Maniatis	....	stage manager (4 episodes, 1995-1996)
Stephen Nathan	....	creative consultant (4 episodes, 1995)
Selig Frank	....	associate director (3 episodes, 1994-1996)
Michael Strauss	....	stage manager (3 episodes, 1996-1997)
Owen Taylor	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1995)
Laurie Gilbert	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1996-1997)
David Kemker	....	assistant to writers (2 episodes, 1996)
Chris Donovan	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1997-1998)
Karen Ueda	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1997-1998)
Guy Margo	....	dialogue coach (2 episodes, 1997)
Jaime Fowler	....	consultant: avid (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Carsey-Werner Company

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1993-1998) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Carsey-Werner Distribution

Special Effects

• Makeup Effects Laboratories

Other Companies

• CBS Studio Center  taped at
• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Elgin, Illinois, USA

Company:

Carsey-Werner Company

Trivia:

Many of Grace's former in-laws are named after famous Kellys in the entertainment world: Jean Kelly (a homophone for Gene Kelly), Emmett Kelly, DeForest Kelley, and of course Grace Kelly.

Quotes:

[Sitting at Grace's kitchen table, discussing Jimmy's first month living in the garage]
Grace Kelly:He's two days late with the rent.
Jean Kelly:What?
Grace Kelly:I told him '$550, in cash, on the 1st of every month, under the ta... ble'
[hesitating - reaches underneath table]
Grace Kelly:.
Jean Kelly:It's times like these that make it hard to defend him.
Grace Kelly:Next month I'm gonna tell him 'On the house', to see if he puts the money on the roof.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 52nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Lady Madonna

The Rise And Fall Of Brett Butler.

Throughout it's fairly successful five-year run "Grace Under Fire" was for the most part, an endearing and very funny slice-of-blue-collar-life that in my book ranks right up there with some of the better sitcoms of the 1990's! The show's star, southerner Brett Butler -who not surprisingly, first achieved a taste of fame as a stand-up comedienne in the late 1980's- was truly exceptional as the titled character, Grace Kelly: a brassy recovering alcoholic, and general know-it-all who struggled to raise her three young children with no husband and very little money to boot. At hand was also an exceptional supporting cast of numerous veteran comedic actors, who thankfully were almost always in top form playing realistic and well-written characters that helped to serve as great set-ups (if you will) for the near perfect delivery of sharp and hilarious one-liners/witticisms by Butler's character, "Grace". Altogether, this short-lived little sitcom did a fantastic job (in the beginning) of capturing it's leading lady as a performer that was chocked full of vivacity, talent, and just the right amount of good ole' brazen southern charm to bring down the house...be it on t.v., or on the stage live giving a super stand-up routine to thousands of people who came and paid an over-priced ticket just to hear her tell jokes and stories! Unfortunately though, like numerous other performers (I'm talking primarily comics here) that came before her that lime-light which once shown so brightly on Brett Butler flickered out rapidly due to the numerous rumors and accounts of on/off-set shenanigans that she often displayed as a result of her self-destructive drug and alcohol addictions which became unsavory front page news. Ultimately destroying not only her career as a reliable comedienne, but also her television show's reputation...hence it's early cancellation! Someday, I do hope that Brett Butler can once and for all pull it back together long-enough to regain the much needed respect and attention that she deserves as a performer. However, despite the many problems that surrounded it, "Grace Under Fire" will always stand as an insightful and entertaining testament to the public's need for admirable and realistic character-driven comedy that is not only humorous, but socially-conscious (just compare Grace's kids/lifestyle to the unrealistic behavior and general way of life on other nineties t.v. families like "Full House" or "Seventh Heaven" as a couple of examples) during an era when brain-less and empty rot such as "Friends", "Seinfeld", and "Beavis and Butt-head" reigned supreme!