Home Biography Dody's Book Grease I & II Archives Photos Dody's Life Guestbook

MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman!..that's how each episode of this satire started. The show was the brainchild of Norman Lear (Famous for All in the Family, Maude, and others), and was so controversial that none of the three major networks would air it. It was sold into five-day-a-week first-run syndication. Every weekday, you could catch an episode that featured the trials and tribulations of Fernwood, Ohio.


It was a satire of soaps, spoofing many parts of the genre. Mary Hartman, the main character, was a middle-class suburban housewife in the town of Fernwood, Ohio. Mary had many problems, one of them being the yellow buildup on her kitchen floor. Other problems she had included having a sullen pre-teen daughter, strange and bizarre parents, an outspoken sister, and a dim and sexually unsatisfying husband. Mary was surrounded by kidnappings, mass murders, car accidents, and much more. The series was loved by critics and audiences alike, and was cancelled only because the star Louise Lasser decided to leave.

The series had three spinoffs: Fernwood 2Night (1977), Forever Fernwood (1977-1978), and America 2Night (1978)

First AiredJanuary 1976
Last AiredMay 1977
StatusCanceled/Ended
Running Time30 min
CountryUnited States
NetworkSyndicated

Norman Alden - Coach Leroy Fedder
Susan Browning - Pat Gimble (1976)
Philip Bruns - George Shumway
Dennis Burkley - Mac Slattery 1976
Dabney Coleman - Merle Jeeter (1976-1977)
Dody Goodman - Martha Shumway
Samantha Harper - Roberta Walashek (1976)
Graham Jarvis - Charlie Haggers
Salome Jens - Mae Olinski (1976)
Victor Kilian - Raymond Larkin
Claudia Lamb - Heather Hartman
Louise Lasser - Mary Hartman
Sparky Marcus - Jimmy Joe Jeeter (1976)
Marian Mercer - Wanda Jeeter (1976-1977)
Martin Mull - Garth Gimble (1976)/Barth Gimble (1977)

Greg Mullavey - Tom Hartman
Mary Kay Place - Loretta Haggers
Doris Roberts - Dorelda Doremus
Reva Rose - Blanche Fedders (1976)
Debralee Scott - Cathy Shumway
Bruce Soloman - Sgt. Dennis Foley
Renée Taylor - Annabelle Kearns

Norman Lear - Executive Producer
Ann Marcus - Creator
Jerry Adelman - Creator
Daniel Gregory Browne - Creator
Gail Parent - Creator
Norman Lear - Developer

© Copyright 2000-2010 Glen Charlow - All Rights Reserved

Youtube Videos for Dody Goodman