Fran's Roots (12 Mar. 1997)

A woman shows up claiming to be Fran's mother due to a mix-up at the hospital.

Director:

Dorothy Lyman

Writers:

Robert Sternin (developer), Prudence Fraser (developer),

Stars:

Fran Drescher, Charles Shaughnessy, Daniel Davis

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Fran Drescher	...	Fran Fine
Charles Shaughnessy	...	Maxwell Sheffield
Daniel Davis	...	Niles
Lauren Lane	...	C.C. Babcock
Nicholle Tom	...	Margaret 'Maggie' Sheffield
Benjamin Salisbury	...	Brighton Sheffield
Madeline Zima	...	Grace Sheffield
Renée Taylor	...	Sylvia Fine
Telma Hopkins	...	Lila Baker
Jason Andrews	...	Police Officer
Jamie Renée Smith	...	Young Fran Fine (as Jamie Renee Smith)
Benjamin Brown	...	Matt Baker
Donald Willis	...	David Baker
Will Potter	...	Butler
Sara Alexis Weiss	...	Nadine Fine

Storyline

Fran gets a telephone call from a Lila Baker, who claims possibly to be Fran's birth mother. Lila states that there was a mix-up at the hospital between babies and their respective mothers. A unique timbre to Lila's voice makes Fran think she may be telling the truth. Sylvia is incredulous at this news, but Fran decides to meet Lila anyway. On first glance, one would think that Lila is probably wrong as she's African-American. But Lila tells Fran that "the father" is white - Jewish no less - and who she thought was her biological daughter definitely is not based on blood test results. Fran decides to take a blood test to determine definitively if Lila is her mother. While they wait for the results, Lila invites Fran over to meet the rest of the family. There, Fran witnesses a lavish lifestyle to which she could get accustomed. They soon get news of the test results. But regardless of the test results, Lila may have a new family member, whether she wants one or not.

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 March 1997 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Highschool Sweethearts, Sternin & Fraser Ink

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

Towards the end of the show when Sylvia arrives to confront the woman who might be Fran's birth mother, she bursts in and says, "You're black?" and points with her right hand, while holding her purse with her left, but in the long shot she is pointing with her left hand and holding the purse in her right hand.

---

Quotes

Chastity Claire 'C.C.' Babcock: [to Maxwell] I have a friend at CBS who wants to buy our show and turn it into a TV series.
Niles: Whoa, back up. You have a friend?

---

Connections

References Jerry Maguire (1996)

User Reviews