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IMDbPro

Benson

  • TV Series
  • 1979–1986
  • TV-G
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
3.7K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,062
319
Missy Gold, Robert Guillaume, Caroline McWilliams, James Noble, Lewis J. Stadlen, and Inga Swenson in Benson (1979)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer0:25
1 Video
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ComedyFamily

Jessica Tate's sharp-tongued former butler, Benson DuBois, moves up in the world, becoming first the governor's "director of household affairs," then the state's budget director, then lieute... Read allJessica Tate's sharp-tongued former butler, Benson DuBois, moves up in the world, becoming first the governor's "director of household affairs," then the state's budget director, then lieutenant governor and candidate for the executive mansion.Jessica Tate's sharp-tongued former butler, Benson DuBois, moves up in the world, becoming first the governor's "director of household affairs," then the state's budget director, then lieutenant governor and candidate for the executive mansion.

  • Creator
    • Susan Harris
  • Stars
    • Robert Guillaume
    • James Noble
    • Inga Swenson
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    3.7K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,062
    319
    • Creator
      • Susan Harris
    • Stars
      • Robert Guillaume
      • James Noble
      • Inga Swenson
    • 20User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 3 wins & 22 nominations total

    Episodes159

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    TopTop-rated

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 0:25
    Watch Trailer

    Photos136

    Robert Guillaume in Benson (1979)
    Missy Gold in Benson (1979)
    James Noble in Benson (1979)
    Robert Guillaume, Caroline McWilliams, James Noble, and Lewis J. Stadlen in Benson (1979)
    Caroline McWilliams and Lewis J. Stadlen in Benson (1979)
    Robert Guillaume in Benson (1979)
    Robert Guillaume in Benson (1979)
    Robert Guillaume in Benson (1979)
    Robert Guillaume and Caroline McWilliams in Benson (1979)
    Missy Gold, Robert Guillaume, Caroline McWilliams, and James Noble in Benson (1979)
    Robert Guillaume and James Noble in Benson (1979)
    Missy Gold in Benson (1979)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robert Guillaume
    Robert Guillaume
    • Benson DuBois
    James Noble
    James Noble
    • Governor Eugene Xavier Gatling
    Inga Swenson
    Inga Swenson
    • Miss Gretchen Wilomena Kraus
    Missy Gold
    Missy Gold
    • Katherine 'Katie' Olivia Gatling
    Rene Auberjonois
    Rene Auberjonois
    • Clayton Runnymede Endicott III
    Ethan Phillips
    Ethan Phillips
    • Peter 'Pete' John Downey
    Didi Conn
    Didi Conn
    • Denise Florence Stevens…
    Caroline McWilliams
    Caroline McWilliams
    • Marcy Hill
    Billie Bird
    Billie Bird
    • Mrs. Rose Cassidy…
    Lewis J. Stadlen
    Lewis J. Stadlen
    • John Taylor
    Bob Fraser
    Bob Fraser
    • Senator Tyler…
    Jim Hackett
    Jim Hackett
    • Corky…
    Donna LaBrie
    • Sen. Diane Hartford
    Ed Peck
    Ed Peck
    • Police Capt. Dennis McDermott
    Percy Rodrigues
    Percy Rodrigues
    • Judge Harper…
    Kevin Guillaume
    • Mr. Klean…
    Jack Dodson
    Jack Dodson
    • Mac McFadden…
    Ben Piazza
    Ben Piazza
    • Arthur Duffy…
    • Creator
      • Susan Harris
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The sixth season episode "Scenario" (original airdate 22 February 1985) was the first network drama episode to demonstrate the use of the Internet. The computer network they were accessing was the ARPANET which was an Internet prototype used by the US military and government.
    • Quotes

      [Repeated line]

      Gretchen: I HEAR YOU!

    • Connections
      Featured in The 32nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1980)

    User reviews20

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Friday nights at 7p.m. CST
    I watched this show regularly for about four years or so,all the way to it's last show in 1986. By then,it had been moved to Saturday nights,with ABC clearly putting it out to pasture as the ratings were probably slowing(if not outright dipping)and the writing and story-lines getting more contrived and preachy over the last two seasons. Still,I got into this show and enjoyed it quite a bit.

    A spin-off of the groundbreaking,controversial and(in my and I'm sure not the only opinion)brilliant "Soap",this show followed the life of acerbic but humane and wise butler-turned-house servant-turned-budget secretary-turned lieutenant Governor Benson DuBois(Robert Guillame,who seemed to be born to play this role). He,similar to his role on "Soap",has to put up with his share of rich(and almost entirely white)stuffed-shirts and makes friends with the TAte-Gatling family,only this time it's with Jessica Tate's cousin,the Governor himself(JAmes Noble,who is FANTASTIC here)and his daughter KAtie(Missy Gold,who will always be a cute blonde kid to me).It is the Governor,in fact,who appoints Benson to his posts in the Mansion,and Benson in turn puts up with the jovial absent-mindedness that the Gov exudes,being an aid as well as a gentle foil. The primary antagonism/grudging compatriots in the show came from the dour German housekeeper Gretchen Kraus(Inga Swenson,who probably had trouble getting casting directors to NOT cast her as Teutonic women after this show)and the pompous ass of an adviser Clayton Endicott III(Rene Auberjonois,another great actor that probably had to work hard to free himself from being typecast). Also,Benson ended up befriending his secretary Denise(Didi Conn,who will always be Frenchy from Grease to millions!)and her eventual husband,the lovably scattered gubernatorial staffer Pete Downey(Ethan Phillips,still working,Thank God!).Also featured as the staff(mostly in the first two seasons,which I must confess I have not seen as much of as the later shows) were Harris/Thomas/Witt standby Caroline McWilliams,Lewis Stadlen,co-producer Bob Fraser and Jerry Seinfeld(!).

    This show was early Friday nights for me when I was too young to have much (if any) of a social life,and while the humor and pacing may seem dated and slow by today's standards(put this up against something like "Seinfeld" or "Scrubs" and see what I mean),watching it on TVLand again had me laughing out loud at times and appreciating this show for what it was:simple sitcom material done right. While this show does SEEM like twenty years or more has passed,it's a good t.v. memory,something that to me makes television worth watching.
    helpful•21
    1
    • KUAlum26
    • Sep 6, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 13, 1979 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Бенсон
    • Filming locations
      • 1365 S Oakland Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA(Harlow E. Bundy house as the Governor's Mansion)
    • Production company
      • Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 4:3

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    Missy Gold, Robert Guillaume, Caroline McWilliams, James Noble, Lewis J. Stadlen, and Inga Swenson in Benson (1979)
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