Harry and the Hendersons (TV series)
| Harry and the Hendersons | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Starring |
Bruce Davison Molly Cheek Carol-Ann Plante Zachary Bostrom Kevin Peter Hall Dawan Scott Brian Steele |
| Opening theme | "Your Feet's Too Big" performed by Leon Redbone |
| Composer | Todd Hayen |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 72 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Lin Oliver |
| Producers | Jill Lopez Danton Sheree Guitar |
| Cinematography | Robert Caramico |
| Editor | Andy Zall |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
| Production company | Amblin Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | first-run syndication |
| Release | January 13, 1991 – June 18, 1993 |
| Related | |
| Harry and the Hendersons | |
Harry and the Hendersons is an American sitcom based on the film of the same name, produced by Amblin Television for Universal Television. It aired in syndication from January 13, 1991, to June 18, 1993, with 72 half-hour episodes produced. It is about a family who adopts a Bigfoot called Harry.
Synopsis
Bruce Davison and Molly Cheek played the parents George and Nancy (in the film, they were played by John Lithgow and Melinda Dillon respectively) with Carol-Ann Plante and Zachary Bostrom as the children Sarah and Ernie (in the film, they were played by Margaret Langrick and Joshua Rudoy respectively). Kevin Peter Hall played the role of Harry in both the film and TV series, until his death late in the production of the first season. He was replaced first by Dawan Scott and then by Brian Steele in the third season (Steele had filled in for Scott in the Harry costume for numerous scenes during season two, before taking over the role full-time). Harry's vocal effects were provided by Patrick Pinney, where the vocal effects were previously provided by Fred Newman in the film.
In the series, George and Nancy were an upwardly mobile two-career couple, with the former working for a sporting goods company. George eventually launched his own magazine, The Better Life, late in the second season. Initially helping the Hendersons with Harry's care, and Sasquatch research, was Walter Potter, a biologist working for the Department of Animal Control. Also seen early on were the Glicks, neighbors of the Hendersons; Samantha was a pretty, young single mother and reporter, and Tiffany was her precocious little girl, a classmate of Ernie's who had an obvious crush on him. Samantha, Tiffany, and Walter were all written out after the first season, but the aspect of having a girl next door who chased after Ernie was retained through a new character, Darcy Payne, for the 1991–92 season. Darcy was more annoying than her predecessor, and spent all her waking hours trying to make the Hendersons' young son hers. However, she did catch on to the fact that the family was hiding a bigfoot, and had several close encounters with Harry; fortunately, Darcy disappeared from the show before she could have exposed the secret about him. Nancy's younger brother Brett, a photographer, moved in with the Hendersons in the second season, and was also sworn to secrecy about Harry. When George began The Better Life in the spring of 1992, Brett was hired as the publication's chief photographer and a financial beneficiary.
The following year brought many changes, as in the season premiere Harry's existence was accidentally exposed. Just as the Hendersons feared he would be captured by the government and possibly killed, he was rather embraced by the public and received overnight regional fame. For a while, Harry had to adjust to a high-profile life full of exhibition and additional scientific studies, but at the same time the entire family got used to resting more comfortably now that they did not have to hide the big creature from view anymore. Hilton, a friend of Ernie's and the son of a local police chief, joined the cast in the third season.
The TV series credits contains an artistic representation of key scenes from the film.
Cast
- Kevin Peter Hall as Harry (1991)
- Dawan Scott as Harry (1991–1992)
- Brian Steele as Harry (1992–1993)
- N. Brock Winkless IV as Harry (face performer, 1991–1993)
- Patrick Pinney as Harry (vocal effects, 1991–1993)
- Bruce Davison as George Henderson
- Molly Cheek as Nancy Henderson
- Carol-Ann Plante as Sarah Henderson
- Zachary Bostrom as Ernie Henderson
- Gigi Rice as Samantha Glick (1991)
- Cassie Cole as Tiffany Glick (1991)
- David Coburn as Walter Potter (1991)
- Noah Blake as Brett Douglas (1991–1993)
- Courtney Peldon as Darcy Payne (1991–1992)
- Mark Dakota Robinson as Hilton Woods, Jr. (1992–1993)
- Jared Henderson as Himself (1992)
Episodes
Season 1 (1991)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Arrival" | Frank Bonner |
Story by : Lin Oliver & Alan Moskowitz Teleplay by : Alan Moskowitz |
January 13, 1991 |
| 2 | 2 | "The Day After" | Alan Cooke | John Boni | January 20, 1991 |
| 3 | 3 | "Cool" | Frank Bonner | Lin Oliver & Alan Moskowitz | January 27, 1991 |
| 4 | 4 | "Harry Goes Home: Part 1" | Tony Dow | Sam Denoff & Marc Sheffler | February 3, 1991 |
| 5 | 5 | "Whose Forest Is It Anyway?: Part 2" | Tony Dow | Sam Denoff & Marc Sheffler | February 10, 1991 |
| 6 | 6 | "The Father-Son Game" | Frank Bonner | R.J. Colleary | February 17, 1991 |
| 7 | 7 | "Banging the Big One" | Frank Bonner | Daryl Nickens & Mike Scott | February 24, 1991 |
| 8 | 8 | "Harry the Hero" | Tony Dow | Laura Levine | March 3, 1991 |
| 9 | 9 | "Roots, the Curb" | Alan Cooke | Erza D. Rappaport & J.D. Rappaport | March 10, 1991 |
| 10 | 10 | "The Mentor" | Frank Bonner | Alan Moskowitz | March 17, 1991 |
| 11 | 11 | "The Bodyguard" | Don Amendolia |
Story by : Sam Denoff & Marc Sheffler Teleplay by : Barry Bleach & Lynne Kadish |
March 24, 1991 |
| 12 | 12 | "Harry and the Homeless Man" | Tony Dow | Gerry Matthews | April 7, 1991 |
| 13 | 13 | "Harry Goes Ape" | Frank Bonner | Michael Poryes | April 21, 1991 |
| 14 | 14 | "Pet Psychic" | Frank Bonner | Julie Moskowitz & Gary Stephens | April 28, 1991 |
| 15 | 15 | "The Bigfoot That Ate Seattle" | Don Amendolia | Alan Moskowitz | May 5, 1991 |
| 16 | 16 | "Harry and the Masked Wrestler" | Richard Kline | John Boni | May 12, 1991 |
| 17 | 17 | "When Harry Met Sammy" | Lee Bernhardi | R.J. Colleary | May 19, 1991 |
| 18 | 18 | "Harry and the Cheerleaders" | Lee Bernhardi | Sam Denoff & Marc Sheffler | May 26, 1991 |
Season 2 (1991–92)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 1 | "Retrospective" | Frank Bonner | Lin Oliver & Alan Moskowitz | September 29, 1991 |
| 20 | 2 | "The Terror of the Trees" | James Widdoes |
Story by : R.J. Colleary Teleplay by : Paul J. Raley |
October 6, 1991 |
| 21 | 3 | "Sarah Sings the Blues" | Frank Bonner | Lin Oliver & Alan Moskowitz | October 13, 1991 |
| 22 | 4 | "Mom" | Bruce Davison | Colman Dekay & James L. Freedman | October 20, 1991 |
| 23 | 5 | "The Ransom of Bigfoot" | Lee Bernhardi | David Wiemers & Ken Koonce | October 27, 1991 |
| 24 | 6 | "Halloween" | Scott Baio | Diana "Jennie" Ayers & Susan Sebastian | November 3, 1991 |
| 25 | 7 | "Brett Hits Home" | Nick Havinga | R.J. Colleary | November 10, 1991 |
| 26 | 8 | "George's White Light" | Nick Havinga | Lin Oliver | November 17, 1991 |
| 27 | 9 | "Working Stiffs" | Tony Dow | Alan Moskowitz | November 24, 1991 |
| 28 | 10 | "Love Mask" | Tony Dow | Tom Biener & Bob Fraser | January 12, 1992 |
| 29 | 11 | "The Blue Parrot" | Dwayne Hickman | Shari Scharfer & Julie Strassman | January 19, 1992 |
| 30 | 12 | "Winning" | Nick Havinga | R.J. Colleary | January 26, 1992 |
| 31 | 13 | "'Til Theft Do Us Part" | Nick Havinga | Colman DeKay & James L. Freedman | February 2, 1992 |
| 32 | 14 | "The Genius" | Lee Lochhead | Carol Croland | February 9, 1992 |
| 33 | 15 | "Wild Things" | Bobby Bosse | Robin J. Stein | February 16, 1992 |
| 34 | 16 | "Fatherhood" | Howard Murray | Bruce Rush | February 23, 1992 |
| 35 | 17 | "Sarah Spills the Bigfoot Beans" | Dwayne Hickman | Robin J. Stein | March 1, 1992 |
| 36 | 18 | "Moonlighting" | Nick Havinga |
Story by : Alan Moskowitz Teleplay by : Laura Levine |
March 22, 1992 |
| 37 | 19 | "The Green Eyed Bigfoot" | Howard Murray | Lauren Eve Anderson | March 29, 1992 |
| 38 | 20 | "The Itchologist" | Howard Murray |
Story by : Ezra D. Rappaport & J.D. Rappaport Teleplay by : Alan Moskowitz |
April 5, 1992 |
| 39 | 21 | "Selling Out" | Lee Lochhead | Matt Ember | April 26, 1992 |
| 40 | 22 | "The Girl Who Cried Bigfoot" | Lee Lochhead | R.J. Colleary | May 3, 1992 |
| 41 | 23 | "The Busybody" | Richard T. Kline | Mark Amato | May 10, 1992 |
| 42 | 24 | "I Got Your Birthday Right Here" | Howard Murray | Sheree Guitar | May 17, 1992 |
Season 3 (1992–93)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | 1 | "Yo Richie!" | Howard Murray | Marc Wilmore | September 18, 1992 |
| 44 | 2 | "The Candidate" | Lee Lochhead | Alan Moskowitz | September 25, 1992 |
| 45 | 3 | "The Bride and the Gloom" | Lee Lochhead |
Story by : R.J. Colleary Teleplay by : Matt Ember & Ray DeLaurentis |
October 2, 1992 |
| 46 | 4 | "Born Again" | Bruce Davison | Lin Oliver & Alan Moskowitz | October 30, 1992 |
| 47 | 5 | "The Old Bigfoot" | Frank Bonner | R.J. Colleary | November 6, 1992 |
| 48 | 6 | "The Outing" | Nick Havinga | R.J. Colleary | November 13, 1992 |
| 49 | 7 | "Harry Henderson, National Treasure" | Howard Murray | Lin Oliver & Alan Moskowitz | November 20, 1992 |
| 50 | 8 | "Retrospective Two" | Frank Bonner | Lin Oliver & Alan Moskowitz & R.J. Colleary | January 2, 1993 |
| 51 | 9 | "Blood Is Thicker Than Karma" | Lee Lochhead | Ray DeLaurentis | January 22, 1993 |
| 52 | 10 | "Pitch, Pitch, Pitch" | Lee Lochhead | Sheree Guitar | January 29, 1993 |
| 53 | 11 | "Harry the Mascot" | Howard Murray | Robin J. Stein | February 5, 1993 |
| 54 | 12 | "The Big Kiss Off" | Nick Havinga | Alan Moskowitz | February 12, 1993 |
| 55 | 13 | "The Frenchman" | Nick Havinga | Bruce A. Rush | February 19, 1993 |
| 56 | 14 | "Laid Up" | Donna Pescow | Don Hart | February 26, 1993 |
| 57 | 15 | "Harrywood Babylon" | Howard Murray | Colman DeKay & James L. Freedman | March 5, 1993 |
| 58 | 16 | "Witness: Part 1" | Nick Havinga |
Story by : John Zuur Platten & Tony Cabalu Teleplay by : R.J. Colleary |
March 12, 1993 |
| 59 | 17 | "Harry the Hostage: Part 2" | Nick Havinga |
Story by : John Zuur Platten & Tony Cabalu Teleplay by : R.J. Colleary |
March 19, 1993 |
| 60 | 18 | "Exterminator" | Howard Murray | Si Rose | March 26, 1993 |
| 61 | 19 | "Beauty and the Beast" | Bruce Davison |
Story by : Sandy Helberg Teleplay by : Robin J. Stein |
April 2, 1993 |
| 62 | 20 | "Big Feet, Small Minds" | Lee Lochhead | Matt Ember | April 9, 1993 |
| 63 | 21 | "Surf's Down" | Nick Havinga | Alan Moskowitz | April 16, 1993 |
| 64 | 22 | "Follow Your Art" | Lee Lochhead | Sheree Guitar | April 23, 1993 |
| 65 | 23 | "Them Bones" | Lee Lochhead | R. J. Colleary | April 30, 1993 |
| 66 | 24 | "The Three Facts of Brett" | Lee Lochhead |
Story by : R.J. Colleary Teleplay by : Tony Cabalu & John Zuur Platten |
May 7, 1993 |
| 67 | 25 | "Ernie Confidential" | Richard Kline | Robin J. Stein & Ray DeLaurentis | May 14, 1993 |
| 68 | 26 | "Uncle Mack Comes Back" | Nick Havinga | Alan Moskowitz | May 21, 1993 |
| 69 | 27 | "Skin Deep" | Lee Lochhead | Sheree Guitar | May 28, 1993 |
| 70 | 28 | "Retrospective Three" | Howard Murray |
Story by : Lin Oliver & R. J. Colleary Teleplay by : Lin Oliver |
June 4, 1993 |
| 71 | 29 | "The Long Goodbyes: Part 1" | Howard Murray |
Story by : Lin Oliver & R.J. Colleary Teleplay by : R.J. Colleary |
June 11, 1993 |
| 72 | 30 | "The Long Goodbyes: Part 2" | Lee Lochhead |
Story by : Lin Oliver & R.J. Colleary Teleplay by : Lin Oliver |
June 18, 1993 |
Production
Among the series' directors were series star Bruce Davison, Scott Baio, Frank Bonner, Tony Dow, Richard Kline, Dwayne Hickman, and Donna Pescow.
The series' theme song was "Your Feet's Too Big", performed by Leon Redbone.
Reruns aired on digital subchannel Retro Television Network from August 2008 until their distribution agreement with NBCUniversal ended in June 2011.