The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer 

The misadventures of Abraham Lincoln, his loony associates, and the only sane man amongst them, the President's black butler Desmond.

Creators:

Barry Fanaro, Mort Nathan

Stars:

Chi McBride, Max Baker, Dann Florek

Cast

Series cast summary:
Chi McBride	...	Desmond Pfeiffer 6 episodes, 1998
Max Baker	...	Nibblet 6 episodes, 1998
Dann Florek	...	Abraham Lincoln 6 episodes, 1998
Christine Estabrook	...	Mary Todd Lincoln 6 episodes, 1998
Kelly Connell	...	Ulysses S. Grant 6 episodes, 1998
Nick Jameson	...	Emperor of France / ... 3 episodes, 1998
Jack Salvatore Jr.	...	Young Abe / ... 2 episodes, 1998

Storyline

Desmond Pfeiffer (the P is pronounced) was a black British gentleman who was run out of England after being accused of cheating at cards. He takes a job as butler to a perpetually horny Abraham Lincoln in the White House during the Civil War.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to mary todd lincoln | reference to abraham lincoln | ulysses simpson grant | sitcom | character name in title | 

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Taglines:

Critics hate it.

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Genres:

Comedy | History

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 1998 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Network Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Four episodes were broadcast before the show was canceled. It was later spoofed and referenced several times in Clerks (2000) (though the characters did not pronounce the "P" in "Pfeiffer"). That animated series was even more short-lived, lasting a mere two weeks on the air before it was canceled.

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Connections

Referenced in Bamboozled (2000)

User Reviews

No wonder this show bombed.

Now, since I haven't seen every show that ever aired on network T.V., I won't say its the worst show ever, but its one of the worst I ever saw. I was eating dinner at my mothers house the night this show had its debut and quickly ate my dinner so I could go in her living room and see if it was as bad as the reviewer in the New York Post said it was. Well it was. The shows humor was crude, crass, and childish. Set during the civil war the show depicts president Lincon and his generals and staff as bunch of lunatics more obsessed with sex than carrying on with the important nations business at hand. Only during the Clinton administration could anyone come up with an idea as vulgar as this. The shows portrayal of Mary Todd Lincon as a neurotic nymphomaniac demonstrates the levels the creators of this show could sink to.

The fact that this show only lasted a few episodes shows the American viewing public still has some taste.