The Chief not only spanked his daughters. He slapped them too!! I just watched the episode where Julie smokes, and the Chief slapped her for it. She looks so sad when she asks, "Daddy, why?". Don't you feel sorry for her?

The chief also slapped Katie in the very first episode when Katie said: "Mom can't say anything, she's dead."

I think those are the only 2 times we saw him slap them.


The episode "Sam's Imaginary Friend" he almost came close to slapping Samantha just before he said "Damn it, Samantha, you need a head shrink!" That would have been a perfect time for a slap of his for her.


But only Katie was shown getting slapped by him in the Pilot and Julie in "Julie Smokes".

I think those are the only 2 times we saw him slap them.


The episode "Sam's Imaginary Friend" he almost came close to slapping Samantha just before he said "Damn it, Samantha, you need a head shrink!" That would have been a perfect time for a slap of his for her.


But only Katie was shown getting slapped by him in the Pilot and Julie in "Julie Smokes".
He also threatens Samantha with a spanking in that same episode, "Sam's Imaginary Friend". She won't let him in the door, and he tells her she will have his fingerprints all over her fanny if she doesn't. Apparently that time he intended to use his hand rather than his belt. It's ironic that we never see on-screen the Chief physically punishing Samantha, unlike the older two. But he threatened Samantha more times though. She was threatened in "Sam's Imaginary Friend", "Mom's Birthday", and "Samantha Steals a Squad Car" at least. I know Samantha got spanked by him because she says in one episode that his spankings are like murder.

He also threatens Samantha with a spanking in that same episode, "Sam's Imaginary Friend". She won't let him in the door, and he tells her she will have his fingerprints all over her fanny if she doesn't. Apparently that time he intended to use his hand rather than his belt. It's ironic that we never see on-screen the Chief physically punishing Samantha, unlike the older two. But he threatened Samantha more times though. She was threatened in "Sam's Imaginary Friend", "Mom's Birthday", and "Samantha Steals a Squad Car" at least. I know Samantha got spanked by him because she says in one episode that his spankings are like murder.


The name of that episode is GlenLawn Street Blues.

Darryl

The Chief not only spanked his daughters. He slapped them too!! I just watched the episode where Julie smokes, and the Chief slapped her for it. She looks so sad when she asks, "Daddy, why?". Don't you feel sorry for her?

Julie lied to her father and then blew smoke in his face. She deserved that slap.

Julie lied to her father and then blew smoke in his face. She deserved that slap.

She did not blow smoke in his face. She needed to exhale and the smoke trapped in her mouth came out. It's called breathing. She did lie, but she did not deserve to be slapped. Even Carl's father (Julie's grandpa) sided with her against Carl.

She did not blow smoke in his face. She needed to exhale and the smoke trapped in her mouth came out. It's called breathing. She did lie, but she did not deserve to be slapped. Even Carl's father (Julie's grandpa) sided with her against Carl.

She didn't intentionally blow smoke in his face, but that's what happened. Once he explained what happened with Margaret and why he reacted the way he did, Julie understood better. A few years later, Nell slaps Julie. I did not agree with this slap. Sure, Julie had lied about being with Jonathan, but I saw no reason in Nell slapping her. It just seemed mean. And, Nell slapped her A LOT harder than the Chief did. I felt sorry for Julie in that episode. She absolutely did not deserve the slap from Nell.

She didn't intentionally blow smoke in his face, but that's what happened. Once he explained what happened with Margaret and why he reacted the way he did, Julie understood better. A few years later, Nell slaps Julie. I did not agree with this slap. Sure, Julie had lied about being with Jonathan, but I saw no reason in Nell slapping her. It just seemed mean. And, Nell slapped her A LOT harder than the Chief did. I felt sorry for Julie in that episode. She absolutely did not deserve the slap from Nell.

All of the slaps seemed unwarranted. Julie pissed me off when she slapped poor Jonathan for mentioning the chief's bedroom.

All of the slaps seemed unwarranted. Julie pissed me off when she slapped poor Jonathan for mentioning the chief's bedroom.

Yes, Julie slapping Jonathan was absolutely uncalled for. He hadn't done anything wrong. And Nell slapping him was ridiculous.

It was a very different time. Network shows often showed parents slapping their kids: Ann Romano slapping Alex; Ann Romano slapping Julie; Prototype Monica Warner slapping Blair; and of course the Chief slapping his daughters. These shows were a product of their time.

It was a very different time. Network shows often showed parents slapping their kids: Ann Romano slapping Alex; Ann Romano slapping Julie; Prototype Monica Warner slapping Blair; and of course the Chief slapping his daughters. These shows were a product of their time.

The Chief had good reasons for being mad at both Katie and Julie. Katie made a terribly disrespectful remark about her mother, and Julie lied to him about smoking. And, he really didn't slap them all that hard. He just kind of popped them. He was disciplining them.

The Chief had good reasons for being mad at both Katie and Julie. Katie made a terribly disrespectful remark about her mother, and Julie lied to him about smoking. And, he really didn't slap them all that hard. He just kind of popped them. He was disciplining them.

I don't agree with that brand of "discipline": he could have grounded them instead.

I don't agree with that brand of "discipline": he could have grounded them instead.

Samantha did compare his spankings to murder. Lol

I saw an interview with Lara Jill Miller (Samantha) and she talked about her career as a voice actor. She talked briefly about Gimme a Break and she said she enjoyed working with Nell Carter and the rest of the cast. But she said she always felt nervous and intimidated whenever she had to do dialogue with Dolph Sweet because she said Dolph could be abrupt and short-tempered whenever someone messed up their lines. She also said Dolph didn't understand many of Nell's one-liners and would often ask the director what was so funny about a particular line.

To Whom It Concerns,
Hello! I'm 42 years old.

I have mixed feelings about the Chief slapping. I can see not wanting to be slapped but he was disciplining! It was a different time.

I liked the Chief though, I think he was a no nonsense type of guy. I think he also would stick up for people!

I think there won't ever be a show just like Gimme A Break! ever again. I believe it's unrepeatable!

Sincerely,

David Martin

It was definitely a different era. My Dad used to spank my sister and I when we were growing up but we never got slapped. I think we grew up to be better people with a little discipline in the house. We never got grounded but alot of our friends used to get disciplined that way. Spanking was just a more accepted form of punishment back in those days but slapping your child is too much.

Now that I think about it, for whatever reason you would see people get slapped on television alot back in those days especially on soaps.

FWIW the girls were too old for spankings on this show especially Katie and Julie.