A Touch of Grace is an American sitcom that was based on the British series For the Love of Ada starring Shirley Booth and J. Patrick O'Malley centering on a widow who moves in with her daughter and son-in-law and her romantic relationship with an elderly man. It aired on ABC from January 20 to April 21, 1973.[1][2]
Recently widowed, in her 60s, living off her Social Security checks, and struggling to make a new life for herself, Grace Simpson moves in with her daughter and son-in-law, Myra and Walter Bradley. Grace is perky and young at heart, in sharp contrast to the stodgy and conservative Myra and Walter, and her presence disrupts their lives. Although Grace dates a lot, her steady boyfriend is Herbert Morrison, who works as a gravedigger. Myra and Walter disapprove of Grace's relationship with Herbert.[1][2][3]
A Touch of Grace was based on the 1970-1971 British television series For the Love of Ada.[2] It was an unusual show for its time, as it focused on an older couple falling in love at a time when American television networks were relentlessly pursuing a youthful viewership demographic.[5] Critics viewed it as well written and well acted, and a good showcase for Shirley Booth's talents.[5]
Broadcast history
A Touch of Grace premiered on ABC on Saturday, January 20, 1973 at 8:30 P.M.[2] It faced tough competition in its time slot from CBS's All in the Family and Bridget Loves Bernie and NBC's Emergency!. The sitcom preceded ABC's highly touted variety show The Julie Andrews Hour, which had just been moved from its Wednesday night 10:00 P.M. time slot to Saturday night at 9:00 P.M. in order to improve its marginal ratings. However, Andrews, in turn, had to compete with the highly rated CBS series The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show. As a result, both A Touch of Grace and The Julie Andrews Hour garnered low ratings despite their critical acclaim.[5] ABC cancelled both shows in April 1973.[1][2]
ABC broadcast reruns of A Touch of Grace in prime time on Saturday evenings on April 28, 1973 and from May 12 to June 16, 1973.
Grace moves in with Myra and Walter, and the status-conscious Myra is dismayed when she brings home a gravedigger – Herbert – who is courting her.
2
"The Weekend"
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January 27, 1973 (1973-01-27)
Grace decides to sneak away to spend a weekend at a bay-side lodge with Herbert, scandalizing Myra and Walter.
3
"The Working Girl"
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February 3, 1973 (1973-02-03)
Grace decides to look for a job, making the image-conscious Myra worry about how she will appear with Grace working – and then the job Grace takes shocks Myra.
4
"Lover's Quarrel"
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February 10, 1973 (1973-02-10)
Herbert refuses to take Grace to the annual 60-plus dance, leading to a big argument between them.
Myra and Walter decide to generate more income by renting out the downstairs, but by the time they are finished turning it into an apartment, they have made it un-rentable.
7
"The Driving Lesson"
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March 3, 1973 (1973-03-03)
After Grace decides to finally learn to drive, her driving lessons have the household in an uproar.
8
"Saturday Night at the Movies"
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March 17, 1973 (1973-03-17)
Grace and Herbert go out to the movies on a Saturday night, and the police raid the theater they are at for showing pornographic films.
9
"The Lodge"
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March 24, 1973 (1973-03-24)
Herbert's lodge holds a surprise testimonial dinner for him.
10
"The Reunion"
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March 31, 1973 (1973-03-31)
The hero who saved Grace's late husband's life during World War II comes to visit but overstays his welcome, and Grace must figure out a polite way to get him to leave. Ian Wolfe guest-stars.
11
"The Commercial"
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April 7, 1973 (1973-04-07)
Grace does a spur-of-the-moment radio commercial, then gets caught for lying on a form she filled out afterwards saying that she has no relationship with Walter or his supermarket.
12
"The Accident"
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April 14, 1973 (1973-04-14)
Grace becomes involved in a scam to sue the bus company for $600,000 for a minor accident.
13
"The Engagement"
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April 21, 1973 (1973-04-21)
Herbert has asked Grace to marry him, and after months of pressure from Myra and Walter to decide without being able to make up her mind, she finally accepts.
References
^ abcdeMcNeil, Alex, Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming From 1948 to the Present, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, p. 861.
^ abcdeBrooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime-Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present, Sixth Edition, New York: Ballantine Books, 1995, ISBN0-345-39736-3, pp. 1058-1059.
