"The PJs" (1999) TV series 1999-2001

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Creators:

Eddie Murphy
Steve Tompkins
Larry Wilmore
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | unknown

Release Date:

10 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Animation

Plot:

Thurgood Stubbs lives with his wife Muriel in the housing project where he is the chief superintendent...

Plot Keywords:

Blaxploitation | Jive | African American | Poverty | Prejudice

Awards:

Won 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 18	11:00 PM	TOON	A Race to His Credit	#3.10
Sat. July 25	11:00 PM	TOON	House Potty	#1.12

Cast

Loretta Devine	...	Muriel Stubbs (42 episodes, 1999-2008)
Ja'net DuBois	...	Mrs. Avery (42 episodes, 1999-2008)
Pepe Serna	...	Mr. Sanchez (42 episodes, 1999-2008)
Michele Morgan	...	'Juicy' Hudson / ... (41 episodes, 1999-2008)
Marc Wilmore	...	Walter Burkett (41 episodes, 1999-2008)
Michael Paul Chan	...	Jimmy Ho (40 episodes, 1999-2008)
Shawn Michael Howard	...	Smokey (40 episodes, 1999-2008)
Kevin Michael Richardson	...	Mr. Hudson / ... (40 episodes, 1999-2008)
Crystal Scales	...	Calvin (40 episodes, 1999-2008)
Cheryl Francis Harrington	...	Ms. Mambo Garcelle (Haiti Lady) (35 episodes, 1999-2008)
Jenifer Lewis	...	Bebe Ho (35 episodes, 1999-2008)
Eddie Murphy	...	Thurgoode Orenthal Stubbs / ... (29 episodes, 1999-2001)
James Black	...	Tarnell (28 episodes, 1999-2008)
Mark Moseley	...	Thurgoode Orenthal Stubbs (2000-2001) / ... (27 episodes, 1999-2001)
Cassi Davis	...	HUD woman (26 episodes, 1999-2008)
Phil Morris	...	Thurgood Orenthal Stubbs / ... (17 episodes, 1999-2008)

(more)

Series Directed by
John Logue		(3 episodes, 1999-2000)
Paul Harrod		(3 episodes, 2000-2008)
Sean Burns		(3 episodes, 2000-2001)
Mike Dietz		(3 episodes, 2000-2001)
Mike Johnson		(3 episodes, 2000-2001)
David Bleiman		(2 episodes, 1999)
Ric Heitzman		(unknown episodes)
John Payson		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Eddie Murphy		(42 episodes, 1999-2001)
Larry Wilmore		(42 episodes, 1999-2001)
Bill Freiberger		(4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Lester Lewis		(2 episodes, 2000)
Warren Bell		(unknown episodes)
Les Firestein		(unknown episodes)
Jonathan M. Goldstein		(unknown episodes)
Kyra Keene		(unknown episodes)
Michael Price		(unknown episodes)
Steve Tompkins		(unknown episodes)
Maiya Williams		(unknown episodes)
Terence Winter		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Eddie Murphy	....	executive producer (42 episodes, 1999-2001)
Larry Wilmore	....	executive producer (42 episodes, 1999-2001)
Tony Krantz	....	executive producer (41 episodes, 1999-2008)
Chris Smirnoff	....	associate producer (30 episodes, 1999-2000)
Mary Sandell	....	producer (17 episodes, 1999-2000)
Michael Rowe	....	producer (5 episodes, 2001)
Bill Freiberger	....	co-executive producer / supervising producer (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Brian Grazer	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Ron Howard	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
J. Michael Mendel	....	producer (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Steve Tompkins	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Tom Turpin	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Will Vinton	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
David Flebotte	....	co-executive producer / supervising producer (3 episodes, 1999-2000)
Michael Price	....	supervising producer (3 episodes, 1999-2000)
Lester Lewis	....	supervising producer (3 episodes, 2000)
Steve Pepoon	....	consulting producer (3 episodes, 2000)
Donald R. Beck	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Warren Bell	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
David Bleiman	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Chris Plourde	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Rachel Walchak	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Marc Bonilla		(1 episode, 2000)

Series Cinematography by
Eric Adkins		(25 episodes, 1999-2000)
Tim McGilvrey		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Cam Williams		(14 episodes, 2000-2001)
David Massachi		(unknown episodes)
Sarah Schubart		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Robi Reed-Humes		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Nelson Lowry		(2 episodes, 1999-2000)
Paul Harrod		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Solomon Burbridge		(9 episodes, 1999)

Series Production Management
Ollie Green	....	production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Colin Thacher	....	scheduling supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Amanda Bennett	....	art department manager (30 episodes, 1999-2000)
Damon Bard	....	sculptor (14 episodes, 1999)
Scott Foster	....	character sculptor (14 episodes, 1999)
Matthew McKenna	....	lead mold maker (14 episodes, 1999)
Sean Bellows	....	storyboard assistant / assistant storyboard artist (7 episodes, 2000-2001)
Ken Min	....	lead storyboard artist / storyboard artist (7 episodes, 2000-2001)
Garrett Barati	....	storyboard artist (6 episodes, 2001)
Scot Phelps	....	animator (4 episodes, 2000)

Series Sound Department
Travis Powers	....	sound designer / sound effects editor (42 episodes, 1999-2001)
Kenneth R. Burton	....	sound re-recording mixer (14 episodes, 1999)
Will Edwards	....	adr engineer (3 episodes, 1999)
Wade Wilson	....	sound editor (unknown episodes, 1998-2000)
Paul Andris	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)
John Asman	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Dicken Berglund	....	adr mixer / voice recording for claymation (unknown episodes)
Sam Black	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer (unknown episodes)
Ken Kobett	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Eric Lewis	....	assistant dialogue recording engineer (unknown episodes)
Jonathan Wareham	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Paul C. Warschilka	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Phil Guzzo	....	compositor / visual effects (30 episodes, 1999-2000)
Damon Bard	....	sculptor (14 episodes, 1999)
David Trappe	....	motion control supervisor/operator (8 episodes, 1999-2001)
Steve Bailey	....	visual effects supervisor (unknown episodes)
Judith Holzman	....	digital artist (unknown episodes)
Scott Kravitz	....	character animator (unknown episodes)
Wolfgang Maschin	....	motion control camera operator (unknown episodes)
Rich B. Moore Jr.	....	motion control camera operator (unknown episodes)
Tennessee Reid Norton	....	stop-motion animator (unknown episodes)
Joe Reese	....	digital compositor (unknown episodes)
Daniel L. Smith	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)
Thomas R. Smith	....	animator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Bryan Garver	....	camera operator (14 episodes, 1999)
Ian Barrett	....	assistant camera (11 episodes, 1999-2008)
Jeff Gardner	....	assistant camera (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Shawn Sundby	....	camera operator (4 episodes, 2000-2001)
John Banholzer	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Stephen MacDougall	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
John Nolan	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Tennessee Reid Norton	....	animator (14 episodes, 1999-2000)
Kevin MacLean	....	animator (9 episodes, 1999-2001)
Adam Pierce	....	animator (4 episodes, 2000)
Dielle Alexandre	....	animator (unknown episodes)
John Averill	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Kyle Bell	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Kim Blanchette	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Joel Brinkerhoff	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Sarah de Gaudemar	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Chuck Duke	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Catherine Dunn	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Wendy Fuller	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Cameron Gray	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Billy Greene	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Alex Inman	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Josh Jones	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Kim Keukeleire	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Noah Klabunde	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Misha Klein	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Drew Lightfoot	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Robert Melchior	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Joe Mello	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Bill Mezzetti	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Jeffery Mulcaster	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Lisa Mullins	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Scott Norlund	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Brian Ormiston	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Bartek Prusiewicz	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Jeff Riley	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Rob Ronning	....	character fabrication supervisor (unknown episodes)
Brad Schiff	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Edward Schofield	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Christina Sells	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Thomas R. Smith	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Gabe Sprenger	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Si Duy Tran	....	animator / character animator (unknown episodes)
Suzanne Twining	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Jason Vanorden	....	animator (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Michael Mintz	....	senior colorist / colorist (41 episodes, 1999-2008)
Jon Weigand	....	assistant editor (18 episodes, 2000)
Jennifer McGarrity	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Joe Monteleone	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Veronica Vichit-Vadakan	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
George Clinton	....	composer: theme (1 episode, 2000)
Quincy Jones III	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Christianna Reinhardt	....	production assistant (18 episodes, 1999-2000)
Mark Gustafson	....	supervising director (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Janine Sherman	....	executive story editor (unknown episodes, 1998-1999)
Donielle Howard	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes, 2000-2002)
Jonathan M. Goldstein	....	story editor (unknown episodes)
Shayne Lewin	....	development (unknown episodes)
Stacia Loftness	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)
Leopoldo Marino	....	systems administrator (unknown episodes)
Dean Miyashiro	....	assistant to writer (unknown episodes)
Diane H. Newman	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Will Vinton	....	foamation designer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Touchstone Television
• Imagine Television
• Will Vinton Studios
• Eddie Murphy Productions

Distributors

• Fox Network (1999-2000) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (seasons 1-2)
• WB Television Network, The (2000-2001) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (season 3)
• Buena Vista Television (1999-2001) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• 20th Century Fox Television (1999-2000)
• Super Channel (????) (Japan) (TV)

Also Known As:

"PJs: The Projects" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min | USA:30 min (41 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Touchstone Television

Trivia:

An episode of "Futurama" (1999) featured the PJs on sewer manhole cover. In response, the Futurama character of Fry appears as a missing person on the side of a milk carton in the PJs.

Quotes:

Mrs. Avery: I'm gonna party like it's 1939.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Futurama: I Second That Emotion (#2.5)" (1999)

Brilliantly written, "acted" comic masterpiece.

THE PJs is not PC. It is a staggeringly funny claymation masterpiece on every level: written, acted (as in radio acting), visual and animated. The consistency and literacy of Eddie Murphy and his gang's "vision" needs an appreciative, knowing audience that can follow the shotgun blast of references in every line. It's also rather a loving look at Murphy's Brooklyn from inside the tube, as opposed to the saccharine veneer one is drugged with whenever he flicks on the remote. Not a show for morons, hence its failure. Murphy's realized his great potential with this one. No compromises, just awesomely funny brilliance. He should be proud. Miss this and you've missed a great one. Now when will it be avail. on DVD, Eddie?