Somebody posted in the Diff'rent Strokes forum on the fact that on that show the housekeeper Edna Garrett was always called Mrs. Garrett by Philip Drummond and his kids. While the other housekeepers that were on during the run of the show were called by their first names by the other characters. There was Pearl and another older woman, and I'm sorry I can't think of her name right now but she was played by actress Nedra Volz if I remember right. And they were commenting on how odd it seemed that the other 2 housekeepers were called by their first names and Mrs. Garrett was always called "Mrs. Garrett". So it got me to thinking about similar situations in other sitcoms.

I don't remember anybody in The Jeffersons calling Harry Bentley "Harry". Does anybody else? He was always called Mr. Bentley by the female characters and just "Bentley" by George and Tom Willis. OK, so George would usually just call Tom Willis, "Willis" all the time too. That's a pet peeve of mine, calling somebody by their last name without the Mr. or Mrs./Miss in front of it, I think it's really rude, but anyways. And like in Diff'rent Strokes I think it's kind of weird. I can't remember any of the other regular characters even once calling him Harry instead of Mr. Bentley/Bentley. I think it's so strange because all the other characters were called by their first names, well except the semi-regularly seen "Mother Jefferson", I don't remember them mentioning her first name. And they saw him all the time since he was always coming over to borrow stuff and I always thought they considered him a friend (or at least a friendly acquaintance) so it gets me to wondering why they felt the need to be so formal with him. I know it's just a TV show but it's one of those little things that doesn't make sense LOL. Anybody have ideas about it or care to speculate? :)

Ed.

Maybe it's just what he preferred. It still would've been nice for the writers to address the issue.

There was Pearl and another older woman, and I'm sorry I can't think of her name right now but she was played by actress Nedra Volz if I remember right. And they were commenting on how odd it seemed that the other 2 housekeepers were called by their first names and Mrs. Garrett was always called "Mrs. Garrett".
The other housekeeper's name was Adelaide
"Mother Jefferson", I don't remember them mentioning her first name.


Mother Jefferson's first name was Olivia. There is one episode where all of her friends are visiting and they do call her "Olivia." And there's another episode where her estranged sister visits on her birthday and she also calls her "Olivia."

As for Mr. Bentley, he probably preferred being called "Mr. Bentley" instead of Harry.

Thanks wawwie, you might be right about Mr. Bentley, but I don't remember it being mentioned what he preferred to be called, I don't think the show ever addressed it. I honestly don't remember the episodes mentioning Mother Jefferson's first name, but I'll admit it's been quite a while since I've watched an episode.

Ed.

Oh yeah, Adelaide I remember now, I just couldn't remember it last night, I hate when that happens LOL! Thanks again Wawwie.

Ed.

It probably was that he wanted to be called Mr. Bentley. I was thinking some more about it and remembered he always called the Willises Mr. and Mrs. and he always called George and Louise Mr. Jefferson and Mrs. Jefferson. But he did call Florence, Lionel, and Jenny by their first names.

Ed.

He was called Harry on the episode where Florance and Bently go out on a blind date.

I think only by the women he was dating.


Not sure why everyone else called him by his last name

It probably was that he wanted to be called Mr. Bentley. I was thinking some more about it and remembered he always called the Willises Mr. and Mrs. and he always called George and Louise Mr. Jefferson and Mrs. Jefferson. But he did call Florence, Lionel, and Jenny by their first names.

Ed.
Actually, he normally calls the Jeffersons by their last initial (Mr. and Mrs. J).

Last nights ep at his birthday party, both Mr. & Mrs. Willis called him Harry.

Last nights ep at his birthday party, both Mr. & Mrs. Willis called him Harry.


I don't think George and Louise ever called him Harry lol Maybe just tom and helen

He was called Harry on the episode where Florance and Bently go out on a blind date.
I was just going to post this info. This is the episode "The Odd Couple" from season 11. Florence calls him Harry after he requests that she does.

Like on Dennis the Menace, Mr. George Wilson (Joseph Kearns) called Dennis' dad Mitchell while his brother, John (Gale Gordon), called him Henry.