Where's Mrs. Powell? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

MacLeaper · 09-16-2009, 12:32 PM

I don't know if this has been asked before, but does anyone know what the deal is with Mrs. Powell in the latter half of the series? She was kept on in the opening credits as one of the main stars but hardly showed up at all in the 4th. and 5th. Seasons. I've been watching the series through on DVD and it's been a welcome thing to finally see Ellen Powell show up again for a few episodes in Seasons 4 and 5. (I was cheering actually.

)
From what I understand, Sandra Kerns wanted to start a family and I'm thinking maybe she was out from the show due to pregnancy or something? Can anyone confirm this?

Michael1973 · 09-17-2009, 09:17 AM

This used to bother me as well when I watched this show regularly. Various sources I've seen indicate that she left the show to spend more time with her family, but that doesn't really explain her continued "top billing" status in the opening credits.

ThomasE · 01-26-2010, 07:03 PM

I was cheering her on too when I would see her in the later seasons although I could never catch her in the fifth season. I might have caught her in one episode but it has been such a long time.

TMC · 01-11-2022, 03:18 AM

I wonder if the producers were contractually obligated to keep Sandra Kerns credits since her character was never formally killed off or written out of the show by some other means (i.e. Ellen abruptly moved out of the house)? Sandra was admittedly, winding down her acting career around the time that Charles in Charge went off the air in 1990. According to IMDb, her last credited on-screen role was from 1993.

And I'm sure that being a syndicated show instead of a network one like in the first season on CBS, they didn't have as much of a budget to work with. Ellen Travolta, who played Charles' mother (much like she did on Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi) for all intents and purposes, filled Mrs. Powell's spot as the "mother figure" of the show. So I'm guessing that the producers wouldn't have been able to afford so many cast members. And they couldn't exactly get rid of James Callahan's Walter Powell, since the show still needed someone to be "the man" of the Powell household.

TMC · 01-16-2022, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael1973

This used to bother me as well when I watched this show regularly. Various sources I've seen indicate that she left the show to spend more time with her family, but that doesn't really explain her continued "top billing" status in the opening credits.

After reading about the allegations that Nicole Eggert and Alexander Polinsky made about Scott Baio recently about his supposed misconduct on set, I started to wonder what or how much Sandra Kerns knows about the matter?

I know that I'm clearly speculating without any real evidence, but one has to wonder if Sandra was in reality, pushed out because she got on Scott Baio's bad side to so speak. I believe that Scott did wield a lot of creative influence on Charles in Charge, at least in the syndication run, given that he frequently directed as well as being the star.

Charlie Sheen many years later, got Selma Blair fired from Anger Management for reportedly calling out his work ethic, so it can be to want to believe that Sandra saw or said something about Scott's own on-set antics that led to her role on the series being severely diminished in the last two years.

So the whole, "She wants to spend time with her family" excuse could naturally be some sort of cover. Pardon my ignorance, but is a multi-camera half hour sitcom really that "time-consuming" (unless it's in more unique cases like ALF, but that's another story) compared to say, a single camera sitcom or a one-hour drama? Especially since Sandra Kerns wasn't exactly the main "focal point" and in theory, had to be in very single scene per episode.

But on the same token, Mrs. Powell, was still very important to the series considering that she was essentially, Charles' boss. I wonder if anybody has ever asked Nicole Eggert, Josie Davis, and Alexander Polinsky about why their "mom" was virtually absent (save for roughly three to four guest appearances) for the final two seasons of their show.

JenniferS. · 02-07-2022, 02:33 AM

Lord people she never left the show. the producers could not afford to pay Ellen travolta and sandra kerns at the same time so they traded them off and on.

TMC · 02-07-2022, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferS.

Lord people she never left the show. the producers could not afford to pay Ellen travolta and sandra kerns at the same time so they traded them off and on.

I must reiterate, why was Ellen Travolta brought on to be a main cast member instead of say, a recurring role when Sandra Kerns played a decidedly more important and essential role on the series? Again, how exactly can you explain the continued absence of Charles' boss and his charges' mother?

JenniferS. · 02-09-2022, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

I must reiterate, why was Ellen Travolta brought on to be a main cast member instead of say, a recurring role when Sandra Kerns played a decidedly more important and essential role on the series? Again, how exactly can you explain the continued absence of Charles' boss and his charges' mother?

Ellens guest apperances were popular enough to make her a regualr. they never got rid of the powell mother they traded them off and on . they could not afford to pay them both.

RetroGuy2000 · 02-09-2022, 01:40 AM

It definitely is/was unusual to keep someone in the opening credits who was making, on average, only two appearances per season. According to IMDB, those last two years, she only did "No Nukes is Good Nukes" (4-01), "Summer Together, Fall Apart" (5-01), "There's a Girl in My Ficus" (5-05), and "Seeing is Believing" (5-24). That's it. So weird.

JenniferS. · 02-25-2022, 05:27 PM

thats what they did becasue of not having money

TMC · 03-05-2022, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

It definitely is/was unusual to keep someone in the opening credits who was making, on average, only two appearances per season. According to IMDB, those last two years, she only did "No Nukes is Good Nukes" (4-01), "Summer Together, Fall Apart" (5-01), "There's a Girl in My Ficus" (5-05), and "Seeing is Believing" (5-24). That's it. So weird.

Well, like I said, I assume that the producers still had to fulfil or honor Sandra Kerns' contract. So they couldn't outright fire her without presumably buying out her contract, which would've undoubtedly cost a reasonably hefty sum.

RetroGuy2000 · 03-05-2022, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

Well, like I said, I assume that the producers still had to fulfil or honor Sandra Kerns' contract. So they couldn't outright fire her without presumably buying out her contract, which would've undoubtedly cost a reasonably hefty sum.

But presumably she would have to fulfill the contract, as well. Appearing in just one or two episodes surely would have violated the contract, since she was a full-time cast member.

TMC · 03-24-2023, 03:47 AM

What's weird is that neither of the Powell kids' actual parents were around towards the end. So in effect, Walter the grandfather and Lillian, Charles' mom, were the de facto adult figures on the show. We never saw the Powell kids' dad because he was away on naval service. But was there any in-storyline explanation for why we rarely saw Mrs. Powell in the flesh besides her being upstairs? I guess that she had a regular job, but it couldn't have been something that kept her away from home for months at a time.

09-16-2009, 12:32 PM	#1
MacLeaper Child of the 80s Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 20, 2001 Posts: 3,355	Where's Mrs. Powell? I don't know if this has been asked before, but does anyone know what the deal is with Mrs. Powell in the latter half of the series? She was kept on in the opening credits as one of the main stars but hardly showed up at all in the 4th. and 5th. Seasons. I've been watching the series through on DVD and it's been a welcome thing to finally see Ellen Powell show up again for a few episodes in Seasons 4 and 5. (I was cheering actually. ) From what I understand, Sandra Kerns wanted to start a family and I'm thinking maybe she was out from the show due to pregnancy or something? Can anyone confirm this?
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01-26-2010, 07:03 PM	#3
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I was cheering her on too when I would see her in the later seasons although I could never catch her in the fifth season. I might have caught her in one episode but it has been such a long time.
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02-09-2022, 01:40 AM	#9
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	It definitely is/was unusual to keep someone in the opening credits who was making, on average, only two appearances per season. According to IMDB, those last two years, she only did "No Nukes is Good Nukes" (4-01), "Summer Together, Fall Apart" (5-01), "There's a Girl in My Ficus" (5-05), and "Seeing is Believing" (5-24). That's it. So weird.
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09-17-2009, 09:17 AM	#2
Michael1973 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 23, 2003 Posts: 87	This used to bother me as well when I watched this show regularly. Various sources I've seen indicate that she left the show to spend more time with her family, but that doesn't really explain her continued "top billing" status in the opening credits.

01-11-2022, 03:18 AM	#4
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,493	I wonder if the producers were contractually obligated to keep Sandra Kerns credits since her character was never formally killed off or written out of the show by some other means (i.e. Ellen abruptly moved out of the house)? Sandra was admittedly, winding down her acting career around the time that Charles in Charge went off the air in 1990. According to IMDb, her last credited on-screen role was from 1993. And I'm sure that being a syndicated show instead of a network one like in the first season on CBS, they didn't have as much of a budget to work with. Ellen Travolta, who played Charles' mother (much like she did on Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi) for all intents and purposes, filled Mrs. Powell's spot as the "mother figure" of the show. So I'm guessing that the producers wouldn't have been able to afford so many cast members. And they couldn't exactly get rid of James Callahan's Walter Powell, since the show still needed someone to be "the man" of the Powell household.

02-07-2022, 02:33 AM	#6
JenniferS. Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 06, 2003 Posts: 513	Lord people she never left the show. the producers could not afford to pay Ellen travolta and sandra kerns at the same time so they traded them off and on.

02-25-2022, 05:27 PM	#10
JenniferS. Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 06, 2003 Posts: 513	thats what they did becasue of not having money

03-24-2023, 03:47 AM	#13
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,493	What's weird is that neither of the Powell kids' actual parents were around towards the end. So in effect, Walter the grandfather and Lillian, Charles' mom, were the de facto adult figures on the show. We never saw the Powell kids' dad because he was away on naval service. But was there any in-storyline explanation for why we rarely saw Mrs. Powell in the flesh besides her being upstairs? I guess that she had a regular job, but it couldn't have been something that kept her away from home for months at a time.