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The first seven episodes were taped, with the cast and production staff expecting the series to begin airing in
January 1977. Then, some of the NBC program executives changed out, and it was insisted that one of the primary actors be replaced. Shortly after this, the premiere date was moved up from
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in March 1975. He was signed to a one-year contract by NBC after doing so. A variety show he hosted in
November of that year was not successful. Stevenson was approached in the spring of 1976 with an idea for a sitcom. Mac Ferguson, a hardware store owner, was framed as a nice guy, assailed on all
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As
Stevenson explained, "They scrapped the first seven episodes and started from scratch...We've been working morning noon and night ever since. The minute we finish a show it's on the air. We're running as fast as we can. Nobody knows when or if we'll ever catch up."
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The series was cancelled for the first time in mid-January 1977, and it was announced it would be replaced on
February 9. As Barbara Stuart explained, while a swan song party was underway for the cast and crew, word came through that
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had instead been spared. "You would have expected us to start jumping up and down with excitement, but we all just sat there – probably because we'd all been through so much, we just couldn't get emotional about it any more."
245:(McLean Stevenson's birth state). Mac lived with his wife Peggy and two grown children, divorced daughter Janet, and son Chris. Also living in the household were Janet's two children, David and Jason, and Mac's mother-in-law.
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Sources disagree on how many episodes were aired after the first ten; however, numerous contemporary newspaper sources suggest that the last two episodes of the series were aired on March 9, and March 23, respectively.
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Mac's father visits, a visit which threatens to become a permanent living arrangement. He then tries to reorganize his son's hardware store.
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sides, a man caught in the middle, and a chronic victim of circumstances – similar to the character he played as Lt. Col. Henry Blake in
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would draw viewers in, but the actor's first starring vehicle failed to find an audience and was cancelled after three months.
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Grandma
Ferguson announces that she's engaged to be married. Mac is delighted, believing this means she'll soon move out.
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Mac considers running for city council. Two ladies from a city council screening committee come to interview him.
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Mac refuses to attend group therapy sessions that Peggy wants him to attend to "add sparkle to their lives".
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Mac arrives home after a day's work to find a burglar, whose pregnant wife is outside, robbing his house.
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Chris meets a friend who wants to become a priest. Janet and her boys bring a
Yorkshire Terrier home.
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Janet leaves the
Ferguson home, then entertains Mac and Peggy in her new living arrangements.
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Mac discovers that his daughter is developing a relationship with an older man.
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The family faces financial problems. Janet gets a job as a cocktail waitress.
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The
Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present
980:
222:
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on
Wednesday nights from December 1, 1976, to March 23, 1977.
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940:"Which McLean Stevenson sitcom deserved a better chance?"
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Peggy announces to the family that she may be pregnant.
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A friend of Janet's, divorced, makes a play for Mac.
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The series centered on Mac
Ferguson, the owner of a
889:"Lear difficult to please, pulls his new TV series"
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1017:American English-language television shows
377: : Mark Evanier & Dennis Palumbo
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278:Steve Nevil as Chris Ferguson (eps 5–12)
275:Andrew Parks as Chris Ferguson (eps 1–4)
1007:1977 American television series endings
956:. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 760.
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913:Beck, Marilyn (1977-01-26).
887:Hanauer, Joan (1977-01-14).
170:Monty Hall Enterprises, Inc.
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766:March 23, 1977
718:"Strangers in the Night"
281:David Hollander as David
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696:March 2, 1977
308:January to December 1.
1012:1970s American sitcoms
833:"Show Has Fast Change"
293:McLean Stevenson left
284:Jason Whitney as Jason
613:"What Makes Mac Run?"
382: : Lloyd Garver
165:Production companies
82:Theme music composer
867:The Millville Daily
837:The Odessa American
543:"Janet Leaves Home"
473:"Mac's Fatal Charm"
366:"Who Do You Trust?"
919:The Ithaca Journal
648:"Grandma's Secret"
407:"Oldie But Goodie"
243:Evanston, Illinois
135:Executive producer
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923:. Retrieved
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152:Don Van Atta
62:Alan Myerson
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1032:NBC sitcoms
380:Teleplay by
352:Directed by
325:Theme music
122:of episodes
58:Directed by
996:Categories
925:2021-09-11
899:2021-09-11
873:2021-09-11
843:2021-09-11
805:References
770:1977-03-23
735:1977-03-09
700:1977-03-02
665:1977-02-23
630:1977-02-16
595:1977-02-09
560:1977-01-26
525:1977-01-19
490:1976-12-29
455:1976-12-22
445:Bill Hobin
424:1976-12-08
389:1976-12-01
355:Written by
270:Ayn Ruymen
207:1977-03-23
197:1976-12-01
160:30 minutes
139:Monty Hall
130:Production
111:of seasons
48:Created by
791:Reception
145:Producers
818:metv.com
375:Story by
337:Episodes
68:Starring
798:M*A*S*H
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190:Release
180:Network
103:English
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223:sitcom
42:Sitcom
349:Title
38:Genre
987:IMDb
958:ISBN
249:Cast
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227:NBC
184:NBC
120:No.
109:No.
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