The Royal Family (TV series)

This article is about the American sitcom. For the South Korean television series, see Royal Family (TV series). For the British sitcom, see The Royle Family.
The Royal Family
Redd Foxx and Della Reese, stars of The Royal Family
Also known as Chest Pains
Genre Sitcom
Created by Eddie Murphy
Developed by Greg Antonacci
Written by Greg Antonacci
Mark E. Corry
Rob Dames
David Garber
Mark McClafferty
Mike Milligan
Jay Moriarty
Eddie Murphy
Leonard Ripps
B. Mark Seabrooks
Clint Smith
Directed by Shelley Jensen
Jack Shea
Starring Redd Foxx
Della Reese
Mariann Aalda
Sylver Gregory
Larenz Tate
Naya Rivera
Jackée Harry
Barry Shabaka Henley
Theme music composer David Allen Jones
Composer Dan Foliart
Country of origin United States
Original language English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 15 (2 unaired)
Production
Executive producers Eddie Murphy
Mark McClafferty
Greg Antonacci
Producers David Garber
Shelley Jensen
Deborah Leschin
Leslie Ray
David Steven Simon
Cinematography Mikel Neiers
Editor Richard Russel
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time 22–24 minutes
Production companies Eddie Murphy Television
Paramount Television
Original release
Network CBS
Release September 18, 1991 –
May 13, 1992

The Royal Family is an American sitcom television series that ran on CBS between September 18, 1991 and May 13, 1992. The series was created by executive producer Eddie Murphy, as part of a development deal Murphy had with CBS, and produced by David Garber, Shelley Jensen, Deborah Leschin, Leslie Ray, and David Steven Simon. Other executive producers alongside Eddie Murphy are Mark McClafferty and Greg Antonacci. It was presented by Eddie Murphy Television in association with Paramount Television, the television arm of Paramount Pictures, a Paramount Communications Company, with which Murphy had long been associated. The series starred Redd Foxx and Della Reese.

Murphy had previously worked with Foxx and Reese in the 1989 film Harlem Nights, which Murphy wrote and directed. The working title for the series was Chest Pains.

Premise

The series chronicled the lives of Atlanta mail carrier Alexander Alphonso "Al" Royal (Redd Foxx) and his wife Victoria (Della Reese), who were anticipating peaceful retirement years until marital problems brought an extended visit from their daughter Elizabeth (Mariann Aalda) and her three children: Kim (Sylver Gregory), Curtis (Larenz Tate), and Hillary (Naya Rivera).

Redd Foxx's death and aftermath

The Royal Family was intended as a comeback vehicle for Foxx, who had not had a successful television series since the cancellation of Sanford and Son in 1977. Ratings for the early episodes were high. However, the show suffered an enormous blow when, on October 11, 1991, Foxx suffered a massive heart attack while rehearsing. Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly later wrote, "It was an end so ironic that for a brief moment cast mates figured Foxx—whose 1970s TV character often faked heart attacks—was kidding when he grabbed a chair and fell to the floor." Foxx was taken to Queen of Angels Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, where he died that evening.

The show's producers eventually decided to resume work on the series, running commercials in Foxx's memory that included the line "Like any family, The Royal Family will go on." Jackée Harry was added to the cast as Victoria's younger sister Ruth, who moved in to help the family cope with Al's sudden death. She was introduced in the series' eighth episode, which was written to deal with Al Royal's death. After that episode, The Royal Family was placed on hiatus so the writers could rework the series. When the show returned in April 1992, Harry's role had been reworked; instead of Victoria's sister, she was now the Royals' eldest daughter, CoCo. The ratings of the revived Royal Family did not match those of episodes featuring Foxx, and CBS cancelled the series a week before the broadcast of its first season was scheduled to end, leaving two episodes unaired. Those two episodes would finally air 27 years later, when classic TV-focused multicast network Decades aired them in 2019.

Cast

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date Viewers
(millions)
1 "Pilot" Shelley Jensen Greg Antonacci,
Eddie Murphy 		September 18, 1991 19.7
Atlanta mail carrier Al Royal and his wife Victoria are anticipating peaceful retirement years until their daughter moves in with her children. In the opener, 15-year-old Curtis borrows Al's truck.
2 "Homework Bound" Shelley Jensen Mark E. Corry,
Mark McClafferty,
Clint Smith		 September 25, 1991 18.5
Under Al's history tutelage at the bowling alley, Curtis scores an A on a test, but not without having something up his sleeve.
3 "Me and My Stuff" Greg Antonacci Mike Milligan,
Jay Moriarty		 October 2, 1991 14.7
Curtis opts to secede from the manner when Al denies his request for his own room.
4 "Talkin' Baseball" Shelley Jensen Greg Antonacci October 9, 1991 12.9
Kim's success playing baseball against Curtis and a friend inspires her to try out for the varsity team, starting a squabble with Al about a woman's place in a man's game.
5 "A Mid-Summer Night's Barbecue" Jack Shea Lisa A. Bannick October 30, 1991 14.4
The first show that aired after Redd Foxx's death starts with a brief tribute to Redd by Della Reese. As for the show itself, the Royals have a neighborhood barbecue in their backyard and Al is upset to find out that his old rival Langston White (Robert Hooks) is coming to the barbecue.
6 "What's Love Got to Do with It?" Neema Barnette Leslie Ray,
David Steven Simon		 November 13, 1991 11.2
The budding relationship between Elizabeth and a doctor thrills Al, but Victoria has doubts.
7 "Educating Al" Shelley Jensen David Garber November 20, 1991 11.8
This is the final episode that Redd Foxx taped before his death. Elizabeth tries to find a preschool for Hillary.
8 "New Beginnings" Jack Shea Rob Dames,
Leonard Ripps		 November 27, 1991 13.1
The first post-Redd Foxx episode. Victoria learns that Al has died at a bowling alley. His funeral is attended by many of his old friends (including Sanford & Son alumni, Bubba Bexley & Slappy White).
9 "The Sneakin' Deacon" Jack Shea Rob Dames,
Leonard Ripps		 April 8, 1992 11.7
Victoria sees a match with Elizabeth and the new church deacon, but the deacon makes a play for Ruth, who doesn't like his game plan.
10 "Status, Bro" Gerren Keith Fred Johnson April 15, 1992 10.4
Ruth regrets being cool to Willis, while Curtis receives a discount version of an expensive jacket.
11 "Hello, I Must Be Going" Jack Shea David Garber,
Michael Poryes 		April 22, 1992 10.4
Ruth takes off after Victoria takes her to task for being a poor influence on Kim and Curtis.
12 "The Fame Game" Shelley Jensen David Garber, May 6, 1992 10.4
Curtis gets a swelled head after being chosen to appear with Dr. Dre and Ed Lover of Yo! MTV Raps.
13 "Mo' Money" Shelley Jensen Mark E. Corry,
Mark McClafferty,
Clint Smith		 May 13, 1992 9.2
Curtis finds his part-time job taxing in more ways than one.
14 "CoCo in Charge" Jack Shea Brian Scully,
Mike Scully 		Unaired N/A
Against their better judgment, Victoria and Elizabeth allow Ruth to watch the kids for a weekend.
15 "The Big Stink" Rob Dames Mike Milligan,
Jay Moriarty		 Unaired N/A
Trouble arises when Ruth hires Victoria for the Perfume counter.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result
1992 Young Artist Awards Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress Under Ten Naya Rivera Nominated
Best Young Actor Starring in a New Television Series Larenz Tate Nominated
Best Young Actress Starring in a New Television Series Sylver Gregory Nominated