Husbands, Wives & Lovers

Husbands, Wives & Lovers
GenreSitcom
Created byHal Dresner
Joan Rivers
Directed byJames Burrows
Marc Daniels
Alan Myerson
Bill Persky
Theme music composerKen Welch
Mitzie Welch
ComposersJack Elliott
Allyn Ferguson
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producersHal Dresner
Edgar Rosenberg
ProducerDon Van Atta
EditorMarco Zappia
Running time60 minutes
Production company20th Century Fox Television
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseMarch 10 (1978-03-10) –
June 30, 1978 (1978-06-30)

Husbands, Wives & Lovers is an American television sitcom that aired for only one season on CBS in 1978.

Created by Joan Rivers, this program focused on the relationships of five suburban couples living in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California.

Development

The show originated as a pilot Husbands & Wives, which aired on July 18, 1977. It was written by Joan Rivers and Hal Dresner, and directed by Bill Persky, and garnered 18.3 million viewers. When the pilot was developed into a series, it was now filmed instead of taped. Stephen Perlman, Lynne Marie Stewart and Jesse Welles replaced Alex Rocco, Suzanne Zenor and Linda Miller in the roles of Murray, Joy and Helene respectively, the "Bells" were changed to the Bellinis, the "Cutlers" to the Willises and "Rita Bell" became Rita DeLatorre (with Lennie and Rita living together instead of being married).[1]

Cast and characters

  • Cynthia Harris as Paula Zuckerman
  • Stephen Pearlman as Murray Zuckerman, Paula's husband, a traveling pharmaceutical salesman
  • Lynne Marie Stewart as Joy Bellini
  • Eddie Barth as Harry Bellini, Joy's husband, a blue-collar self-made man who owns a fleet of garbage trucks
  • Ron Rifkin as Ron Willis, a dentist who is separating from his wife
  • Jesse Welles as Helene Willis, Ron's wife
  • Charles Siebert as Dixon Carter Fielding, corporate lawyer who is representing Ron and Helene in their divorce proceedings
  • Claudette Nevins as Courtney Fielding, Dixon's materialistic wife
  • Mark Lonow as Lennie Bellini, Harry's brother who runs a jeans boutique
  • Randee Heller as Rita DeLatorre, Lennie's lover, who co-runs the boutique

Episode list

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
1"Ron and Helene Separate"Marc DanielsHarry CauleyMarch 10, 1978 (1978-03-10)15.2
2"Ron Moves In and Helene Steps Out"Alan MyersonStephen Black & Henry SternMarch 17, 1978 (1978-03-17)16.7
3"Ron Is Accused"Marc DanielsSteve Kreinberg & Andy GuerdatMarch 24, 1978 (1978-03-24)13.3
4"Everybody Is Looking for a Little Action"Mark DanielsHal DresnerApril 7, 1978 (1978-04-07)14.2
5"The Women Strike"Jim BurrowsJoan A. GilApril 21, 1978 (1978-04-21)12.3
6"Dixon and Courtney Adopt"Alan MyersonKatherine RebackApril 28, 1978 (1978-04-28)12.0
7"Murray Gets Sacked and Paula Gets Hired"Jim BurrowsRon BloombergJune 9, 1978 (1978-06-09)9.9
8"Predictions Come True"Marc DanielsAndy Guerdat & Steve KreinbergJune 16, 1978 (1978-06-16)10.3
9"Women Write Stories and the Men Buy a Horse"Jim BurrowsMartin DonovanJune 23, 1978 (1978-06-23)9.3
10"Six Characters Flunk a Sex Quiz and Go Somewhere to Do Something About It"Alan MyersonHoward OstroffJune 30, 1978 (1978-06-30)11.9

References

  1. ^ Bruce B. Morris, Prime Time Network Serials: Episode Guides, Casts and Credits for 37 Continuing Television Dramas, 1964-1993, McFarland and Company, 1997.


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