Has any other sitcom you know of, especially one from the 1950's, dealt so much with death: first the death of Luke, Hassie, and Little Luke's parents (occuring before the show takes place) and then the death of Kate (in between seasons, I think)?

What were they thinking?

TT

STORIES/SEASONS/SERIES/etc, DEALING WITH 'DEATH' in 1950's/60's sitcoms:

- "Make Room for Daddy"

In its fourth season, ABC-TV, 1956/57 (actually the series had just changed titles to "The Danny Thomas Show") which originally aired on ABC-TV 1956/57 (it moved to CBS for 1957/58)...

I've never seen this episode though (the first four seasons haven't been regularly rerun-syndicated since the early/mid 1960s), but have read about it in TV history type books...

Jean Hagan had played Margaret Williams, Danny's wife and Rusty and Terri's mother, for the first three (ABC) seasons (1952/53 thru 1954/55). She chose not to continue with the series after that. So, the writers/producers/directors had her "die".

In the premiere episode of the fourth season, Danny has Rusty and Terri togather and he TEARFULLY tells them that "Mommie has taken a trip and won't be back. She has gone to Heaven".

Throughout this fourth season, Rusty (Rusty Hamer) and Terri (Sherri Jackson) try to get their widowered daddy, Danny, and some unattached woman, "hooked up" on dates.

About midway thru this season, the kids get Danny to meet widow Kathy (I can't remember the last name of her late first husband) and start dating. Kathy (Marjorie Lord) has a little girl from that first marriage, Linda (Angela Cartwright). Eventually thru that season, Danny proposes to Kathy, they make their wedding plans, etc.

There is *NO* "wedding" episode. There *WAS* a "publicity" photo which appeared in TVGuide and other places, of Danny in tails and ascot tie, and Kathy (Marjorie) in a gown.

In the premiere episode of the first CBS season (fifth season of the series) in Fall 1957, Danny and Kathy are already on their honeymoon. This particular episode (which HAS been rerun in syndication more recently) was *NOT* filmed in front of an audience (it was probably 'screened' in post-production in front of an auditorium audience, to record 'live' laughter/responses), but rather filmed "on location" in Vegas. Jack Benny makes a few cameo appearances in the Vegas Honeymoon episode.

Some other series of the 50's/60's with 'death':

- "My Three Sons"

Steve's wife Louise is dead.

Later Bub moves to Ireland being replaced by Uncle Charley. But the real reason is William Frawley was probably failing in health due to his age.

And also, Ernie becomes the "third" son when Mike marries and moves away, because Ernie was "orphaned".

And similar to Make Room for Daddy, Steve meets Barbara (Beverly Garland) later on in the series, and she's a widow with little Dodo... I mean DODIE (Dawn Lyn)... SORRY, I just couldn't resist... I was NEVER fond of Dodie even when I saw M3S on CBS growing up in the late-1960's/early-1970's.

- "Andy Griffith"

What about Andy's first wife?

(Also, in the first season premiere episode of Mayberry-RFD, Andy and Helen are married. But the final season of "Andy Griffith Show" didn't seem to have Andy actually proposing and being engaged to Helen. Anyhow, Opie and Aunt Bea are left with Sam Jones (Ken Berry) and his son. In the premiere of the second season of Mayberry-RFD, Andy and Helen come back to Mayberry to visit, and they have a new baby of their own).

- "Family Affair"

The (fraternal) twins, kids Jody and Buffy, as well as their older sister Cissie, are orphaned, and move in with their Uncle Bill and his butler Mr.French.

- "Bachelor Father"

(I can't remember the name of the character of the teenage girl right now! DARN! I used to watch/tape Bach.Fath. reruns on CBN/Family Channel during the 1980's... but wasn't she too orphaned?)

- "Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy"... she was always referred to as a widow, and she had the two kids in each series.

- And, while these weren't sitcoms:

"The Rifleman" was a widower with his little boy, growing up on the frontier;

the wife/mother had previously died on "BONANZA";

The father/husband had previously died on "Big Valley", leaving (the now late) MISS Barbara Stanwyck as the matriarch of the family.

Mark J. Cuccia
mcuccia@tulane.edu
New Orleans LA

Wow! Thanks so much for the extensive reply. You have to wonder if it's more than a plot device or a way to deal with departing actors. Why this preoccupation with death (in comedies!) and why so many single fathers and grandfathers (old grandpappy Amos McCoy) when the reality is the single mothers)?

I remember all those shows but didn't realiz ethe wife died ont he Danny Thomas show. I'm learning new stuff every day...

Another widower was found on The Dennis O'Keefe Show.

Has any other sitcom you know of, especially one from the 1950's, dealt so much with death: first the death of Luke, Hassie, and Little Luke's parents (occuring before the show takes place) and then the death of Kate (in between seasons, I think)?

This post mentioned it, but the wife of "Grampa McCoy" was deceased as well. There are references to her during the series although I can only recall her as being referred to as "Grandma".

What was the story on Who's the Boss. Were Angela and Tony divorced or widowed?

What was the story on Who's the Boss. Were Angela and Tony divorced or widowed?
Angela was divorced. Her ex-husband appeared a few times. I believe that Tony was widowed.

I had no idea they killed off Luke, Hassie and Kate. Wait I did see how Kate got sick. I’ve been watching McCoys on Tubi and really enjoy it. I used to watch back in early ‘60’s with I Love Lucy and Pete and Gladys every morning. I wish they had said something about Mr. Wilson when he died suddenly on Dennis. What a loss to the show.

Well, I'm a little late to respond, it's been 6 months already. But I hope Scrabjan realizes by now that Luke & Hassie were NOT killed off. Neither was Grandpa or Little Luke for that matter. Kate however was killed off as the actress did not want to return for what was the 6th season. Fuzzy story there, I suspect she wanted more money and the producers weren't willing. But who knows. Whatever I think even if the actress didn't return it would have been better to just replace her with a new actress to play the part of Kate. It makes a better comedy show to have a new actor play the same part than say a beloved character is dead. I guess living on the farm was rougher on Kate than we knew.;)