Antenna TV has been airing the final season episodes of The Bachelor Father. One of the themes of this season is Kelly's engagement to Warren. The final episode just aired this morning and all of a sudden Kelly is living in an apartment near her college campus and dating a guy named Eric. What happened to Warren?

I think this is not the final episode but I think the first episode of the second to last season before the engagement and Warren becoming Bentley's law partner I think took place at the end of the last episode.

Not to give away anything; but this is only episode that she moved out and then she moved back in to live with Bentley again for the rest of the series.

I think this is not the final episode but I think the first episode of the second to last season before the engagement and Warren becoming Bentley's law partner I think took place at the end of the last episode.

Not to give away anything; but this is only episode that she moved out and then she moved back in to live with Bentley again for the rest of the series.

Actually, yes it is the last episode of the series. It's episode #157, called "Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight," which aired on June 26, 1962, and Warren is nowhere in sight. And Kelly is going out on a date with someone else.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0905683/

The last episode featuring Warren was episode #153, titled "Bentley Takes It Easy," which aired on May 29, 1962.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0905681/?ref_=tt_ep_pr

I'm unaware of anything in the episodes in between that would suggest Kelly was ending her engagement with Warren.

Maybe it's a simple case of the production order not matching the order the shows were originally aired...? Sometimes that explains the later absence of an important character who's been introduced to the viewing audience.

Maybe it's a simple case of the production order not matching the order the shows were originally aired...? Sometimes that explains the later absence of an important character who's been introduced to the viewing audience.

Like I wrote in my previous comment, the last episode with Warren aired on May 29, 1962. The last episode of the series, where Kelly is dating some other guy, and no mention is made of Warren, aired on June 26, 1962. June 26 is after May 29. I gave the imdb links.

After some detective work - I think this is what happened.

4/24/1962: Kelly's Engagement Season 5, Episode 31
"Kelly and Warren get engaged."

6/12/1962: A House Divided Season 5, Episode 38
"Warren's preparing a lawsuit against his father's company. "
My guess -> Kelly ends the engagement to Warren.

6/26/1962: Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight Season 5, Episode 40
"Bentley's strict curfew prompts Kelly to move out."

Kelly and Ginger move away from home and into a college boarding house, which is ruled by a strict housemother. A couple wants to get marry and love together afterwards but cannot afford to. Bentley does some research and finds that the housemother - was in the same position many years ago; housemother agrees to have the couple move in the apartment and the room for Kelly is given to the guy and Kelly moves back home.

References below:

http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/bachelor-father-1962/episode-32-season-5/kelly-the-home-executive/199863

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049996/episodes

http://www.tv.com/shows/bachelor-father/episodes/

Yes, I know this is what happened, but there is no explanation of where Warren went or what happened with their engagement. I watched the final episode (and the couple prior ones) and it was as if Warren had never existed.

After some detective work - I think this is what happened.

6/12/1962: A House Divided Season 5, Episode 38
"Warren's preparing a lawsuit against his father's company. "
My guess -> Kelly ends the engagement to Warren.

Thanks for this. I think I missed that particular episode. That's a good theory, although it does seem out of character for a sitcom from that era. Throughout the season, they were setting up Warren as this perfect guy for Kelly. In one episode, Bentley is suspicious that Warren is using Kelly just to get a position in Bentley's law firm, only to discover that Warren is completely sincere and truly does care for Kelly. It seems that, back in those days, once they set up a character as a good guy and a perfect mate, as they did with Warren, then it was a done deal: after having presented Warren as the perfect guy for Kelly, there was no turning back. They couldn't abruptly make him not the perfect guy for Kelly, especially when the series was about to end anyway. I can't say I'm correct about this in this case as I haven't seen this particular episode, but it just seems that a plot of that nature would have been out of step for the times. They would have killed off a character (and skip over the mourning period) before breaking up a couple (e.g., Margaret Williams on Make Room for Daddy and Kate McCoy on The Real McCoys). But the only way to know for sure is to actually watch the episode, so I'll try to keep an eye out for it when it cycles back (MeTV is airing season one right now). I am sure Warren was not seen after that episode as there were only two episodes following it, and I've seen both and Warren was not featured. I had assumed Warren had disappeared from the show several episodes earlier as he is not shown in the cast on imdb, including the "Divided House" episode, so thanks for finding this information and your theory.

Yes, I know this is what happened, but there is no explanation of where Warren went or what happened with their engagement. I watched the final episode (and the couple prior ones) and it was as if Warren had never existed.



Thanks for this. I think I missed that particular episode. That's a good theory, although it does seem out of character for a sitcom from that era. Throughout the season, they were setting up Warren as this perfect guy for Kelly. In one episode, Bentley is suspicious that Warren is using Kelly just to get a position in Bentley's law firm, only to discover that Warren is completely sincere and truly does care for Kelly. It seems that, back in those days, once they set up a character as a good guy and a perfect mate, as they did with Warren, then it was a done deal: after having presented Warren as the perfect guy for Kelly, there was no turning back. They couldn't abruptly make him not the perfect guy for Kelly, especially when the series was about to end anyway. I can't say I'm correct about this in this case as I haven't seen this particular episode, but it just seems that a plot of that nature would have been out of step for the times. They would have killed off a character (and skip over the mourning period) before breaking up a couple (e.g., Margaret Williams on Make Room for Daddy and Kate McCoy on The Real McCoys). But the only way to know for sure is to actually watch the episode, so I'll try to keep an eye out for it when it cycles back (MeTV is airing season one right now). I am sure Warren was not seen after that episode as there were only two episodes following it, and I've seen both and Warren was not featured. I had assumed Warren had disappeared from the show several episodes earlier as he is not shown in the cast on imdb, including the "Divided House" episode, so thanks for finding this information and your theory.


LittleRickyII ,

The name of the series is after all; "Bachelor Father" and I think that the plot going forwards was to have Kelly married but I think the series got noticed that they were going to be canceled and the producers just made the plot go back to the original theme with Kelly still single and Bentley still a single father in the few remaining episodes to end it!

LittleRickyII ,

The name of the series is after all; "Bachelor Father" and I think that the plot going forwards was to have Kelly married but I think the series got noticed that they were going to be canceled and the producers just made the plot go back to the original theme with Kelly still single and Bentley still a single father in the few remaining episodes to end it!

That's true. But then again, do we know that the producers were aware the series was being cancelled? If they were aware, it seems they would have just said the heck with it and let them get married so the series could go full circle. There was nothing to lose getting them married if the show was about to go off the air. But on the other hand I was thinking, perhaps they didn't know the show was being canceled, but (I'm guessing) maybe Aron Kincaid did not want to continue in the '62-'63 season, so they had to write him out of the show before the season concluded in some non-offensive TV fashion in the "Divided House" episode. Of course, I'm assuming again that there was an actual break up in that episode. I can't find a full synopsis of the episode anywhere.

6/12/1962: A House Divided Season 5, Episode 38
"Warren's preparing a lawsuit against his father's company. "
My guess -> Kelly ends the engagement to Warren.


Thanks for this. I think I missed that particular episode. That's a good theory, although it does seem out of character for a sitcom from that era. Throughout the season, they were setting up Warren as this perfect guy for Kelly. In one episode, Bentley is suspicious that Warren is using Kelly just to get a position in Bentley's law firm, only to discover that Warren is completely sincere and truly does care for Kelly. It seems that, back in those days, once they set up a character as a good guy and a perfect mate, as they did with Warren, then it was a done deal: after having presented Warren as the perfect guy for Kelly, there was no turning back. They couldn't abruptly make him not the perfect guy for Kelly, especially when the series was about to end anyway. I can't say I'm correct about this in this case as I haven't seen this particular episode, but it just seems that a plot of that nature would have been out of step for the times. They would have killed off a character (and skip over the mourning period) before breaking up a couple (e.g., Margaret Williams on Make Room for Daddy and Kate McCoy on The Real McCoys). But the only way to know for sure is to actually watch the episode, so I'll try to keep an eye out for it when it cycles back (MeTV is airing season one right now). I am sure Warren was not seen after that episode as there were only two episodes following it, and I've seen both and Warren was not featured. I had assumed Warren had disappeared from the show several episodes earlier as he is not shown in the cast on imdb, including the "Divided House" episode, so thanks for finding this information and your theory.

It's been almost a year since this discussion started. I just noticed today that Antenna TV is showing episodes in the afternoon from late in the series' run. So I'm looking for this elusive "Divided House" episode mentioned in HarryWild's post, which I badly want to see in the event it does answer the question of whatever happened to Warren and his engagement to Kelly. I went to imdb.com to see where this episode fits in. Here's where it's listed, along with the two episodes that come just before it, and the episodes that immediately follow it:

S5, Ep36 "Bentley Takes It Easy"

S5, Ep37, "Boys Will Be"

S5, Ep38, *** "Divided House" ***

S5, Ep39, "Peter, the Medicine Man"

S5, Ep40, "Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight"


So it should fall between "Boys Will Be" and "Peter, the Medicine Man." Now here's Antenna TV's scheduled episodes for the next few days:

Today (Monday):
"The Richest Cat"
"Kelly's Engagement" (this is where Kelly and Warren get engaged)

Tuesday:
"Kelly, the Home Executive"
"What Men Don't Know"

Wednesday:
"Bentley Takes It Easy"
"Boys Will Be"

Thursday:
"Peter and the Medicine Man"
"Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight" (Last episode of season 5)

Friday:
"Bentley and the PTA" (First episode of season 1)
"Bentley vs the Girl Scouts"

So you can see, Antenna TV completely skips past the "Divided House" episode. Adding to the curiosity, Imdb.com has plots for most of the season five episodes, but NOT for "Divided House." Which makes me wonder, has anyone actually seen this episode? Why would Antenna TV not air it? Does it REALLY even exist? This episode may hold the key to understanding what happened to Warren, but it appears to be buried for some reason.

Both RTN and Antenna TV did not have the rights to air this episode, for whatever reason.

I do have it from CBN or WOR, but do not remember exactly what it was about. Now you have my curiosity up and maybe I will try to watch it today.

But, I checked my synopsis' and here is what I found. Doesn't sound like it addresses Warren's disappearance, though.

**************
Television Comedy Series: An Episode Guide to 153 TV Sitcoms in Syndication by Joel Eisner:
House Divided
Kelly's in-laws decide to go into a competitive business which threatens to disrupt Kelly's marriage, until Bentley finds a solution.

***************
TV Guide website:
Episode Detail: A House Divided - Bachelor Father

Warren's preparing a lawsuit against his father's company. Warren: Aron Kincaid. Kelly: Noreen Corcoran. Bentley: John Forsythe. Peter: Sammee Tong.

********************
http://ctva.biz/US/Comedy/BachelorFather_05_(1961-62).htm

5.38 [155] Bachelor Father: DIVIDED HOUSE
(aka A House Divided)
Revue-Bentley prod. no. TP 15649
12Jun62 ABC Tue
written by Mel Diamond
directed by Earl Bellamy
Guest cast:
Aron Kincaid ....... Warren
Synopsis:
Warren's preparing a lawsuit against his father's company. [RF]

In episode 5-38 (#155), not aired on Antenna TV, Warren's father heavily invests in a company that Bentley's and Warren's client is suing (of course, the father knew nothing of Warren's firm's involvement). Bentley and Warren think they have an easy win. Ultimately, Bentley saves the day by proposing a merger, IIRC. There is no breakup of Kelly and Warren.

Episode 5-39 (#156) was shown on Antenna TV, and is unrelated to Kelly/Warren.

In Episode 5-40 (#157, final episode of series, as noted above), Kelly is moving into an apartment, and Warren is out of the picture. So the series did not deal with the breakup. It's possible the Warren arc and final episodes were written by different people, and no one cared enough (having been cancelled) to clean it up.