The Haves and the Have Nots is an American stage play which premiered in 2011. Part comedy and part drama, it was created, produced, written, and directed by Tyler Perry.[1] The original stage production starring Palmer Williams Jr. as Floyd, the butler and chef to a wealthy family, and Patrice Lovely as their housekeeper, Hattie, toured 46 cities.[1][2][3]
The wealthy Willis family is preoccupied with superficial things until their housekeeper Hattie, whose family is struggling financially and faces eviction, asks for help.[5][6] It appears her prayers have been answered when her daughter Rose and son-in-law Frank come to work at the Willis estate, but things come to a head when Mrs. Willis tries to buy Frank's affections.[3][6]
The play was very loosely adapted into The Haves and the Have Nots on Opray Winfrey's OWN television channel. Apart from featuring the lives of a wealthy family and their hired help, the series significantly differed from the play. The series featured entirely new fictional characters, situations and cast.[6][7]
The television series quickly became one of OWN's most popular programs, pioneering scripted entertainment for that network. The show ran for 8 seasons from May 28, 2013 to July 20, 2021, on the Oprah Winfrey Network.[8]
