When Valerie Harper left "Valerie" ... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Prince Michael · 09-15-2012, 05:36 AM

I first watched this show when I lived with my parents, and it was Valerie . When Valerie Harper left the show, and it became Valerie's Family, My mom said Valerie Harper was angry because they were hanging onto the name "Valerie" ( Valerie Harper once asked "Why do they get to keep the name ?" ) . I said "The name 'Valerie' isn't her private property !" , My dad said "Yeah ! The cat could be named 'Valerie' !" . There are thousands of women named "Valerie" in this world . My own niece is named "Valerie" . I'm not a lawyer, I don't exactly know what Valerie Harper and her lawyer told the judge, and I read on another thread where Valerie Hogan was named after Valerie Harper, but it doesn't sound like she had much of a case . There probably should have been an episode where the Hogan family got a cat and named it "Valerie" ( " 'Valerie's Family' starring The Cat as 'Valerie' " ) . Does anybody have any extra information, comments, whatever ?

Marvo301 · 09-15-2012, 01:54 PM

The show was originally named Valerie's Family not only for the character of Valerie Hogan but also for Valerie Harper who was by far the biggest name star in the cast when the show debuted. She was well known to TV viewers for playing Rhoda Morgenstern first on The Mary Tyler Moore show and then on the spinoff Rhoda. So producers named both the show and her character after her to use her name to draw in viewers. That's why she wanted them to change the name of the show after she left.

Edster2973 · 10-17-2012, 11:02 PM

Actually, the show was originally titled Valerie, not Valerie's Family. It switched to the Valerie's Family title during Season 3 when Valerie Harper was fired from the show (she didn't "quit") and was replaced with Sandy Duncan. The keeping of the Valerie name in the title was so that the audience would know what show it was that they were tuning into. During the opening credits of Valerie's Family, the title appeared followed by The Hogans, and this was done to prepare for the second name change a year later when it was retitled again as The Hogan Family.

Valerie Harper initially wanted her name off the show since it was what the show was using to draw the audience and she felt that, since the show had stopped using her, it should also stop using her name. However, an agreement was reached between her, the show and NBC to allow for the use of the Valerie name in the title for one year only after her dismissal in exchange that all parties agreed with Valerie's request to meet one year later in court under its "rent a judge" system. She figured, and rightly so, that if she could get the case settled early enough and if she won, her "bad" reputation wouldn't be as hard to recover from as it would've been had she had to wait for up to five years to settle her case in a regular judicial court. So she relented for the use of her name in exchange for a quicker trial and it worked to her benefit. I just wish there had been some way to undo the killing off of her character, Valerie Hogan, but such was not the case.

Hope this clears up any confusion...

Ed

09-15-2012, 05:36 AM	#1
Prince Michael Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 26, 2011 Location: Helena, Montana Posts: 296	When Valerie Harper left "Valerie" ... I first watched this show when I lived with my parents, and it was Valerie . When Valerie Harper left the show, and it became Valerie's Family, My mom said Valerie Harper was angry because they were hanging onto the name "Valerie" ( Valerie Harper once asked "Why do they get to keep the name ?" ) . I said "The name 'Valerie' isn't her private property !" , My dad said "Yeah ! The cat could be named 'Valerie' !" . There are thousands of women named "Valerie" in this world . My own niece is named "Valerie" . I'm not a lawyer, I don't exactly know what Valerie Harper and her lawyer told the judge, and I read on another thread where Valerie Hogan was named after Valerie Harper, but it doesn't sound like she had much of a case . There probably should have been an episode where the Hogan family got a cat and named it "Valerie" ( " 'Valerie's Family' starring The Cat as 'Valerie' " ) . Does anybody have any extra information, comments, whatever ?

09-15-2012, 01:54 PM	#2
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	The show was originally named Valerie's Family not only for the character of Valerie Hogan but also for Valerie Harper who was by far the biggest name star in the cast when the show debuted. She was well known to TV viewers for playing Rhoda Morgenstern first on The Mary Tyler Moore show and then on the spinoff Rhoda. So producers named both the show and her character after her to use her name to draw in viewers. That's why she wanted them to change the name of the show after she left.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

10-17-2012, 11:02 PM	#3
Edster2973 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 19, 2003 Location: Somerset, Massachusetts, USA Posts: 951	Actually, the show was originally titled *Valerie, not Valerie's Family. It switched to the Valerie's Family* title during Season 3 when Valerie Harper was fired from the show (she didn't "quit") and was replaced with Sandy Duncan. The keeping of the Valerie name in the title was so that the audience would know what show it was that they were tuning into. During the opening credits of *Valerie's Family, the title appeared followed by The Hogans, and this was done to prepare for the second name change a year later when it was retitled again as The Hogan Family. Valerie Harper* initially wanted her name off the show since it was what the show was using to draw the audience and she felt that, since the show had stopped using her, it should also stop using her name. However, an agreement was reached between her, the show and NBC to allow for the use of the Valerie name in the title for one year only after her dismissal in exchange that all parties agreed with Valerie's request to meet one year later in court under its "rent a judge" system. She figured, and rightly so, that if she could get the case settled early enough and if she won, her "bad" reputation wouldn't be as hard to recover from as it would've been had she had to wait for up to five years to settle her case in a regular judicial court. So she relented for the use of her name in exchange for a quicker trial and it worked to her benefit. I just wish there had been some way to undo the killing off of her character, Valerie Hogan, but such was not the case. Hope this clears up any confusion... Ed
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