How come Ann Jillian was never given a formal "exit episode" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 03-12-2020, 05:41 AM

Being able to watch virtually the entire series on Logo (I haven't seen the more recent airings on Antenna TV, since I can't get it), this really dawned on me. I find it strange that come Season 4 (or the second season in first-run syndication), they just go straight in with Sheryl Lee Ralph taking her spot and act like Cassie never existed. Even though It's a Living was an ensemble show, it was quite obvious even back then, that Ann Jillian was the biggest factor in the show's success or appeal if you want to call it that. Maybe in my imagination, to just pull a "Chuck Cunningham" on your show's breakout character is kind of insulting to the audience's intelligence.

The Wikipedia article for what it's worth, says that Cassie went off and got married. I don't know if I somehow overlooked that, but they could've spent the last episode of Season 3 writing Cassie out of the show (Ann Jillian had I believe, made it quite known that she had only signed up for a single season) instead of a clip show set to the framing device of Sonny being paranoid about mobsters out to kill him.

Maybe given that this was a syndicated show (and thus, not seen as being as "prestigious" as a network, prime time show) in the '80s, some TV producers and writers weren't so forward thinking or ambitious as say, today. But still, I always thought that It's a Living was seriously hampered by its constant retooling (it didn't become stable until the last three seasons, when Sheryl Lee Ralph joined the show) and lack of narrative continuity.

Road Dog · 05-27-2020, 12:58 PM

Yeah, I don't recall Cassie ever being mentioned again after Ann Jillian left the show. The reason I always heard was that Ann left to concentrate on her breast cancer treatments. Perhaps the door was always open for her to return to the show if she wanted to and they didn't want to make her departure seem permanent by doing a farewell episode.

TMC · 05-23-2023, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road Dog

Yeah, I don't recall Cassie ever being mentioned again after Ann Jillian left the show. The reason I always heard was that Ann left to concentrate on her breast cancer treatments. Perhaps the door was always open for her to return to the show if she wanted to and they didn't want to make her departure seem permanent by doing a farewell episode.

I've heard conflicting accounts regarding her departure. The official reason is that Ann left after Season 3 in order to continue treatments for her cancer, as the story goes.

When It's a Living was brought back for the syndicated market in 1985, Ann Jillian became the first billed star (during the first two seasons on ABC, Susan Sullivan and then, Louise Lasser were first billed, respectively) because by then, she'd already been the star of her own sitcom--the short-lived Jennifer Slept Here.

While It's a Living did become a hit in syndication, it was at the end of the day, a syndicated hit. Like I said before, this meant that it was still less prestigious than a network hit. So is there reason to want to believe that Ann really wanted to get on a network show (which she ultimately did in 1989 for NBC) knew that she wouldn't get any kind of real payday for IAL?

michelala · 05-23-2023, 11:38 AM

Agreed they definitely should've mentioned something about Cassie even if it was a passing comment such as she's happily married or whatever. FWIW I don't recall that they ever mentioned her again after Season 3. They did the same thing with Susan Sullivan after season 1 but she hadn't been with the show for 3 seasons the way Ann had been.

Ann Jillian was definitely the breakout star of the show. She had been a child star on Hazel many years earlier but after IAL hit she was suddenly everywhere in the early 80's including on Bob Hope specials, on the cover of People magazine, etc. She even got her own sitcom after ABC initially cancelled IAL after season 2. I remember being shocked when it was announced she had breast cancer.

I think going back for season 3 was somewhat of a favor she was doing for the show to help get it launched again in first run syndication. She had gained weight and Cassie was more of a mother figure instead of the wise cracker we saw in the first 2 seasons. The big network money wasn't going to be there as the show was being produced directly for independent local syndicated tv stations which was probably considered a step down.

03-12-2020, 05:41 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,453	How come Ann Jillian was never given a formal "exit episode" Being able to watch virtually the entire series on Logo (I haven't seen the more recent airings on Antenna TV, since I can't get it), this really dawned on me. I find it strange that come Season 4 (or the second season in first-run syndication), they just go straight in with Sheryl Lee Ralph taking her spot and act like Cassie never existed. Even though It's a Living was an ensemble show, it was quite obvious even back then, that Ann Jillian was the biggest factor in the show's success or appeal if you want to call it that. Maybe in my imagination, to just pull a "Chuck Cunningham" on your show's breakout character is kind of insulting to the audience's intelligence. The Wikipedia article for what it's worth, says that Cassie went off and got married. I don't know if I somehow overlooked that, but they could've spent the last episode of Season 3 writing Cassie out of the show (Ann Jillian had I believe, made it quite known that she had only signed up for a single season) instead of a clip show set to the framing device of Sonny being paranoid about mobsters out to kill him. Maybe given that this was a syndicated show (and thus, not seen as being as "prestigious" as a network, prime time show) in the '80s, some TV producers and writers weren't so forward thinking or ambitious as say, today. But still, I always thought that It's a Living was seriously hampered by its constant retooling (it didn't become stable until the last three seasons, when Sheryl Lee Ralph joined the show) and lack of narrative continuity.
	Last edited by TMC; 05-27-2020 at 11:24 PM.

05-27-2020, 12:58 PM	#2
Road Dog Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 30, 2004 Posts: 94	Yeah, I don't recall Cassie ever being mentioned again after Ann Jillian left the show. The reason I always heard was that Ann left to concentrate on her breast cancer treatments. Perhaps the door was always open for her to return to the show if she wanted to and they didn't want to make her departure seem permanent by doing a farewell episode.

05-23-2023, 11:38 AM	#4
michelala Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 08, 2023 Posts: 68	Agreed they definitely should've mentioned something about Cassie even if it was a passing comment such as she's happily married or whatever. FWIW I don't recall that they ever mentioned her again after Season 3. They did the same thing with Susan Sullivan after season 1 but she hadn't been with the show for 3 seasons the way Ann had been. Ann Jillian was definitely the breakout star of the show. She had been a child star on Hazel many years earlier but after IAL hit she was suddenly everywhere in the early 80's including on Bob Hope specials, on the cover of People magazine, etc. She even got her own sitcom after ABC initially cancelled IAL after season 2. I remember being shocked when it was announced she had breast cancer. I think going back for season 3 was somewhat of a favor she was doing for the show to help get it launched again in first run syndication. She had gained weight and Cassie was more of a mother figure instead of the wise cracker we saw in the first 2 seasons. The big network money wasn't going to be there as the show was being produced directly for independent local syndicated tv stations which was probably considered a step down.