Occasional Wife Tv Series

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Occasional Wife Tv Series
Wife
EpisodeEpisode NameAir Date
1

Pilot

Tue Sep 13, 1966
2

Occasional Trouble

Tue Sep 20, 1966
3

The Rivalry

Tue Sep 27, 1966
4

He Who Burns Bridges

Tue Oct 04, 1966
5

I Do, We Don't

Tue Oct 11, 1966
6

The Promotion

Tue Oct 18, 1966
7

No Cookie for Dessert

Tue Oct 25, 1966
8

Danger! Woman at Work

Tue Nov 01, 1966
9

A Friend of the Family

Tue Nov 15, 1966
10

Marriage Counselor

Tue Nov 22, 1966
11

No Talent Scouts

Tue Nov 29, 1966
12

That's How They Got Capone

Tue Dec 06, 1966
13

GP Loves UU

Tue Dec 13, 1966
14

Miss Greta Regrets

Tue Dec 20, 1966
15

Peter by Moonlight

Tue Dec 27, 1966
16

Alias Peter Patterson

Tue Jan 03, 1967
17

Fair Play for Gypsies

Tue Jan 17, 1967
18

A Couple of Home-Cooked Meals

Tue Jan 24, 1967
19

One Plus One Equals Too Many

Tue Jan 31, 1967
20

Kangaroo Kandidates

Tue Feb 07, 1967
21

The New Secretary

Tue Feb 14, 1967
22

The Business Trip

Tue Feb 21, 1967
23

Engagement, Christopher Style

Tue Feb 28, 1967
24

Instant Fatherhood

Tue Mar 21, 1967
25

The Soft Spot

Tue Mar 28, 1967
26

The Secret Powdered Milk Affair

Tue Apr 04, 1967
27

My Occasional Brother's Keeper

Tue Apr 11, 1967
28

An Affair To Forget

Tue Apr 18, 1967
29

Oil Be Seeing You

Tue Apr 25, 1967
30

So Little Time

Tue May 09, 1967

Episode Recap Occasional Wife on TV.com. Watch Occasional Wife episodes, get episode information, recaps and more. Occasional Wife (TV Series 1966–1967) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Welcome to the Occasional Wife guide at TV.com. Peter Christopher is a young executive at Brahms Baby Food whose boss only promotes married men. This is Peter's problem, how to remain a bachelor.

Occasional Wife
GenreSitcom
Created byLawrence J. Cohen
Fred Freeman
Written byRichard Baer
Peggy Chantler Dick
Lawrence J. Cohen
Robert Riley Crutcher
Stan Cutler
William Davenport
Martin Donovan
John Erman
Fred Freeman
Lila Garrett
Bernie Kahn
Gene Thompson
Martin Ragaway
Shorty Rogers
Directed byJerrold Bernstein
Bob Claver
Danny Dayton
Paul Junger Witt
Richard Kinon
Russ Mayberry
Gary Nelson
Ernest Pintoff
StarringMichael Callan
Patricia Harty
Narrated byVin Scully
Theme music composerErnest Pintoff
Howard Greenfield
ComposersErnest Pintoff
Shorty Rogers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes30
Production
Executive producerHarry Ackerman
ProducerBob Claver
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companyScreen Gems
Release
Original networkNBC
Audio formatMonaural
Original releaseSeptember 13, 1966 –
August 29, 1967

Occasional Wife is an American sitcom which aired on NBC beginning September 13, 1966 and running until May 9, 1967 (repeats were aired through August 29). It was originally on NBC's Tuesday night schedule, airing from 8:30–9:00PM ET/PT. Reruns were aired on Comedy Central in 1992.

Occasional Wife Sitcom

Synopsis[edit]

The lead character was Peter Christopher, a bachelor who enjoyed the single life, but was blocked from professional advancement by not having a wife. Peter's boss, baby-food manufacturer Max Brahms, was, because of his product, a strong believer in marriage and family. Christopher asked a young hat check girl, Greta Patterson, to pose as his wife at company functions. In return, Peter set up Greta in an apartment two floors above his own in a Manhattan building. Greta would use the fire escape to slip into Peter's 7th floor apartment from her apartment on the 9th floor whenever his boss would drop by unexpectedly. As a silent running gag, Bryan O'Byrne played the 'Man in the middle' who bemusedly watching the comings and goings of the two from his 8th floor vantage point. The sitcom's uncredited narrator was the well-known sports announcer Vin Scully.

The series first experienced good ratings, tying at #18 with The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in the Nielsen ratings. The series then fell to #64 in the ratings after having to compete against ABC's popular series The Invaders and the CBS staple The Red Skelton Show. Occasional Wife was canceled after one season.[1]

The series was also notable for being one of the first sitcoms to completely eliminate the use of the laugh track, which set the series apart from other sitcoms on at the time. Its practice of not using canned laughter has now become an industry standard with most modern day single camera sitcoms.[citation needed]

Cast[edit]

  • Michael Callan as Peter Christopher
  • Patricia Harty as Greta Patterson
  • Jack Collins as Max Brahms
  • Stuart Margolin as Bernie Kramer
  • Chris Noel as Marilyn
  • Bryan O'Byrne as Man-in-the-Middle
  • Jack Riley as Wally Frick
  • Sara Seegar as Mrs. Christopher (Peter's mother)
  • Susan Silo as Vera Frick
  • Joan Tompkins as Mrs. Brahms (two episodes)

Episodes[edit]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1'Pilot'Ernest PintoffLawrence J. Cohen & Fred FreemanSeptember 13, 1966
Peter, a young executive, finds his road to success blocked by the lack of a wife, so he begins a platonic relationship with Greta, who poses as his wife.
2'Occasional Trouble'Richard KinonRobert Riley CrutcherSeptember 20, 1966
Peter's mother sees Greta kissing her boyfriend and thinks her son's wife is being unfaithful.
3'The Rivalry'Bob ClaverLawrence J. Cohen & Fred FreemanSeptember 27, 1966
Spending the weekend at the home of a wealthy client becomes a contest as Peter and his rival vie for favor.
4'He Who Burns Bridges'TBATBAOctober 4, 1966
Peter must retrieve his letter of resignation from his boss' office before it is read.
5'I Do, We Don't'Bob ClaverLawrence J. Cohen & Fred FreemanOctober 11, 1966
Peter's mother insists that he and Greta repeat their marriage vows since she missed the original 'marriage ceremony.'
6'The Promotion'Bob ClaverPeggy Chantler DickOctober 18, 1966
Peter jeopardizes his potential raise and promotion by chasing after a beautiful blonde.
7'No Cookie for Dessert'Jerry BernsteinStan Cutler & Martin DonovanOctober 25, 1966
A sharp-eyed girl figures out Peter's phony marital setup and threatens to tell his boss.
8'Danger! Woman at Work'Richard KinonWilliam DavenportNovember 1, 1966
Greta fraternizes with her new boss, upsetting both Peter's business and social life.
9'A Friend of the Family'Bob ClaverStan Cutler & Martin DonovanNovember 15, 1966
Mr. Brahms jumps to an erroneous conclusion when Greta is hospitalized with a virus.
10'Marriage Counselor'Richard KinonRichard BaerNovember 22, 1966
Mr. Brahms sees Greta at a discothèque with a strange man and tells Peter about it.
11'No Talent Scouts'Bob ClaverRichard BaerNovember 29, 1966
Peter is given the uncomfortable task of finding a Broadway role for the untalented daughter (Sally Field) of a client.
12'That's How They Got Capone'Richard KinonPeggy Chantler DickDecember 6, 1966
Peter and Greta do their best to avoid signing a joint tax return.
13'GP Loves UU'Bob ClaverStan Cutler & Martin DonovanDecember 13, 1966
An Italian Count searches for an American girl who will adore and support him.
14'Miss Greta Regrets'Richard KinonPeggy Chantler DickDecember 20, 1966
Peter and Greta play musical chairs in a restaurant while trying to date simultaneously in two rooms.
15'Peter by Moonlight'Richard KinonStan Cutler & Martin DonovanDecember 27, 1966
Peter underwrites a small garment business.
16'Alias Peter Patterson'Bob ClaverStan Cutler & Martin DonovanJanuary 3, 1967
Peter becomes the object of affection of a shy, unattractive girl.
17'Fair Play for Gypsies'John ErmanRichard BaerJanuary 17, 1967
Mr. Brahms has a gypsy fortune teller fired after she says that Greta is single.
18'A Couple of Home-Cooked Meals'Gary NelsonLila Garrett & Bernie KahnJanuary 24, 1967
Peter and Greta complicate matters by making separate dinner plans.
19'One Plus One Equals Too Many'Russ MayberryGene ThompsonJanuary 31, 1967
Peter gets a new job and fires Greta.
20'Kangaroo Kandidates'Gene ReynoldsStan Cutler & Martin DonovanFebruary 7, 1967
Mr. Brahms gets Peter and Wally into competition to join his exclusive club.
21'The New Secretary'Jerry BernsteinPeggy Chantler DickFebruary 14, 1967
An important customer sees Peter at lunch with his new secretary.
22'The Business Trip'Jerry BernsteinPeggy Chantler DickFebruary 21, 1967
Greta agrees to accompany Peter on a business trip to her hometown.
23'Engagement, Christopher Style'Gene ReynoldsStan Cutler & Martin DonovanFebruary 28, 1967
Peter tries to break an engagement to a madcap heiress without losing his job.
24'Instant Fatherhood'TBATBAMarch 21, 1967
A young woman that Peter sponsored as an immigrant arrives from Italy with marriage on her mind.
25'The Soft Spot'TBATBAMarch 28, 1967
Peter's job catches the eyes of efficiency experts brought in by the company.
26'The Secret Powdered Milk Affair'TBATBAApril 4, 1967
Government agents run a security check on Brahms employees and discover all is not what it appears in Peter's marriage.
27'My Occasional Brother's Keeper'Jerry BernsteinGene ThompsonApril 11, 1967
One fib leads to another and Peter soon finds himself playing host to a stranger.
28'An Affair to Forget'Paul Junger WittLawrence J. Cohen & Fred FreemanApril 18, 1967
Suspicions arise that make it seem that Greta is having an affair with Mr. Brahms.
29'Oil Be Seeing You'Bob ClaverStan Cutler & Martin DonovanApril 25, 1967
Greta attempts to rescue Peter from a terrible financial investment.
30'So Little Time'TBATBAMay 9, 1967
Peter and Greta are hard pressed to prevent his mother from discovering the truth.

Occasional Wife Tv Series

Footnotes[edit]

Occasional wife sitcom
  1. ^'Television Obscurities – 10 Of The Most Outlandish TV Concepts Ever'. tvobscurities.com. 2004-01-01. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
Crew

References[edit]

Occasional Wife Tv Series
EpisodeEpisode NameAir Date
1

Pilot

Tue Sep 13, 1966
2

Occasional Trouble

Tue Sep 20, 1966
3

The Rivalry

Tue Sep 27, 1966
4

He Who Burns Bridges

Tue Oct 04, 1966
5

I Do, We Don't

Tue Oct 11, 1966
6

The Promotion

Tue Oct 18, 1966
7

No Cookie for Dessert

Tue Oct 25, 1966
8

Danger! Woman at Work

Tue Nov 01, 1966
9

A Friend of the Family

Tue Nov 15, 1966
10

Marriage Counselor

Tue Nov 22, 1966
11

No Talent Scouts

Tue Nov 29, 1966
12

That's How They Got Capone

Tue Dec 06, 1966
13

GP Loves UU

Tue Dec 13, 1966
14

Miss Greta Regrets

Tue Dec 20, 1966
15

Peter by Moonlight

Tue Dec 27, 1966
16

Alias Peter Patterson

Tue Jan 03, 1967
17

Fair Play for Gypsies

Tue Jan 17, 1967
18

A Couple of Home-Cooked Meals

Tue Jan 24, 1967
19

One Plus One Equals Too Many

Tue Jan 31, 1967
20

Kangaroo Kandidates

Tue Feb 07, 1967
21

The New Secretary

Tue Feb 14, 1967
22

The Business Trip

Tue Feb 21, 1967
23

Engagement, Christopher Style

Tue Feb 28, 1967
24

Instant Fatherhood

Tue Mar 21, 1967
25

The Soft Spot

Tue Mar 28, 1967
26

The Secret Powdered Milk Affair

Tue Apr 04, 1967
27

My Occasional Brother's Keeper

Tue Apr 11, 1967
28

An Affair To Forget

Tue Apr 18, 1967
29

Oil Be Seeing You

Tue Apr 25, 1967
30

So Little Time

Tue May 09, 1967

Episode Recap Occasional Wife on TV.com. Watch Occasional Wife episodes, get episode information, recaps and more. Occasional Wife (TV Series 1966–1967) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Welcome to the Occasional Wife guide at TV.com. Peter Christopher is a young executive at Brahms Baby Food whose boss only promotes married men. This is Peter's problem, how to remain a bachelor.

Occasional Wife
GenreSitcom
Created byLawrence J. Cohen
Fred Freeman
Written byRichard Baer
Peggy Chantler Dick
Lawrence J. Cohen
Robert Riley Crutcher
Stan Cutler
William Davenport
Martin Donovan
John Erman
Fred Freeman
Lila Garrett
Bernie Kahn
Gene Thompson
Martin Ragaway
Shorty Rogers
Directed byJerrold Bernstein
Bob Claver
Danny Dayton
Paul Junger Witt
Richard Kinon
Russ Mayberry
Gary Nelson
Ernest Pintoff
StarringMichael Callan
Patricia Harty
Narrated byVin Scully
Theme music composerErnest Pintoff
Howard Greenfield
ComposersErnest Pintoff
Shorty Rogers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes30
Production
Executive producerHarry Ackerman
ProducerBob Claver
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companyScreen Gems
Release
Original networkNBC
Audio formatMonaural
Original releaseSeptember 13, 1966 –
August 29, 1967

Occasional Wife is an American sitcom which aired on NBC beginning September 13, 1966 and running until May 9, 1967 (repeats were aired through August 29). It was originally on NBC's Tuesday night schedule, airing from 8:30–9:00PM ET/PT. Reruns were aired on Comedy Central in 1992.

Occasional Wife Sitcom

Synopsis[edit]

The lead character was Peter Christopher, a bachelor who enjoyed the single life, but was blocked from professional advancement by not having a wife. Peter's boss, baby-food manufacturer Max Brahms, was, because of his product, a strong believer in marriage and family. Christopher asked a young hat check girl, Greta Patterson, to pose as his wife at company functions. In return, Peter set up Greta in an apartment two floors above his own in a Manhattan building. Greta would use the fire escape to slip into Peter's 7th floor apartment from her apartment on the 9th floor whenever his boss would drop by unexpectedly. As a silent running gag, Bryan O'Byrne played the 'Man in the middle' who bemusedly watching the comings and goings of the two from his 8th floor vantage point. The sitcom's uncredited narrator was the well-known sports announcer Vin Scully.

The series first experienced good ratings, tying at #18 with The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in the Nielsen ratings. The series then fell to #64 in the ratings after having to compete against ABC's popular series The Invaders and the CBS staple The Red Skelton Show. Occasional Wife was canceled after one season.[1]

The series was also notable for being one of the first sitcoms to completely eliminate the use of the laugh track, which set the series apart from other sitcoms on at the time. Its practice of not using canned laughter has now become an industry standard with most modern day single camera sitcoms.[citation needed]

Cast[edit]

  • Michael Callan as Peter Christopher
  • Patricia Harty as Greta Patterson
  • Jack Collins as Max Brahms
  • Stuart Margolin as Bernie Kramer
  • Chris Noel as Marilyn
  • Bryan O'Byrne as Man-in-the-Middle
  • Jack Riley as Wally Frick
  • Sara Seegar as Mrs. Christopher (Peter's mother)
  • Susan Silo as Vera Frick
  • Joan Tompkins as Mrs. Brahms (two episodes)

Episodes[edit]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1'Pilot'Ernest PintoffLawrence J. Cohen & Fred FreemanSeptember 13, 1966
Peter, a young executive, finds his road to success blocked by the lack of a wife, so he begins a platonic relationship with Greta, who poses as his wife.
2'Occasional Trouble'Richard KinonRobert Riley CrutcherSeptember 20, 1966
Peter's mother sees Greta kissing her boyfriend and thinks her son's wife is being unfaithful.
3'The Rivalry'Bob ClaverLawrence J. Cohen & Fred FreemanSeptember 27, 1966
Spending the weekend at the home of a wealthy client becomes a contest as Peter and his rival vie for favor.
4'He Who Burns Bridges'TBATBAOctober 4, 1966
Peter must retrieve his letter of resignation from his boss' office before it is read.
5'I Do, We Don't'Bob ClaverLawrence J. Cohen & Fred FreemanOctober 11, 1966
Peter's mother insists that he and Greta repeat their marriage vows since she missed the original 'marriage ceremony.'
6'The Promotion'Bob ClaverPeggy Chantler DickOctober 18, 1966
Peter jeopardizes his potential raise and promotion by chasing after a beautiful blonde.
7'No Cookie for Dessert'Jerry BernsteinStan Cutler & Martin DonovanOctober 25, 1966
A sharp-eyed girl figures out Peter's phony marital setup and threatens to tell his boss.
8'Danger! Woman at Work'Richard KinonWilliam DavenportNovember 1, 1966
Greta fraternizes with her new boss, upsetting both Peter's business and social life.
9'A Friend of the Family'Bob ClaverStan Cutler & Martin DonovanNovember 15, 1966
Mr. Brahms jumps to an erroneous conclusion when Greta is hospitalized with a virus.
10'Marriage Counselor'Richard KinonRichard BaerNovember 22, 1966
Mr. Brahms sees Greta at a discothèque with a strange man and tells Peter about it.
11'No Talent Scouts'Bob ClaverRichard BaerNovember 29, 1966
Peter is given the uncomfortable task of finding a Broadway role for the untalented daughter (Sally Field) of a client.
12'That's How They Got Capone'Richard KinonPeggy Chantler DickDecember 6, 1966
Peter and Greta do their best to avoid signing a joint tax return.
13'GP Loves UU'Bob ClaverStan Cutler & Martin DonovanDecember 13, 1966
An Italian Count searches for an American girl who will adore and support him.
14'Miss Greta Regrets'Richard KinonPeggy Chantler DickDecember 20, 1966
Peter and Greta play musical chairs in a restaurant while trying to date simultaneously in two rooms.
15'Peter by Moonlight'Richard KinonStan Cutler & Martin DonovanDecember 27, 1966
Peter underwrites a small garment business.
16'Alias Peter Patterson'Bob ClaverStan Cutler & Martin DonovanJanuary 3, 1967
Peter becomes the object of affection of a shy, unattractive girl.
17'Fair Play for Gypsies'John ErmanRichard BaerJanuary 17, 1967
Mr. Brahms has a gypsy fortune teller fired after she says that Greta is single.
18'A Couple of Home-Cooked Meals'Gary NelsonLila Garrett & Bernie KahnJanuary 24, 1967
Peter and Greta complicate matters by making separate dinner plans.
19'One Plus One Equals Too Many'Russ MayberryGene ThompsonJanuary 31, 1967
Peter gets a new job and fires Greta.
20'Kangaroo Kandidates'Gene ReynoldsStan Cutler & Martin DonovanFebruary 7, 1967
Mr. Brahms gets Peter and Wally into competition to join his exclusive club.
21'The New Secretary'Jerry BernsteinPeggy Chantler DickFebruary 14, 1967
An important customer sees Peter at lunch with his new secretary.
22'The Business Trip'Jerry BernsteinPeggy Chantler DickFebruary 21, 1967
Greta agrees to accompany Peter on a business trip to her hometown.
23'Engagement, Christopher Style'Gene ReynoldsStan Cutler & Martin DonovanFebruary 28, 1967
Peter tries to break an engagement to a madcap heiress without losing his job.
24'Instant Fatherhood'TBATBAMarch 21, 1967
A young woman that Peter sponsored as an immigrant arrives from Italy with marriage on her mind.
25'The Soft Spot'TBATBAMarch 28, 1967
Peter's job catches the eyes of efficiency experts brought in by the company.
26'The Secret Powdered Milk Affair'TBATBAApril 4, 1967
Government agents run a security check on Brahms employees and discover all is not what it appears in Peter's marriage.
27'My Occasional Brother's Keeper'Jerry BernsteinGene ThompsonApril 11, 1967
One fib leads to another and Peter soon finds himself playing host to a stranger.
28'An Affair to Forget'Paul Junger WittLawrence J. Cohen & Fred FreemanApril 18, 1967
Suspicions arise that make it seem that Greta is having an affair with Mr. Brahms.
29'Oil Be Seeing You'Bob ClaverStan Cutler & Martin DonovanApril 25, 1967
Greta attempts to rescue Peter from a terrible financial investment.
30'So Little Time'TBATBAMay 9, 1967
Peter and Greta are hard pressed to prevent his mother from discovering the truth.

Occasional Wife Tv Series

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^'Television Obscurities – 10 Of The Most Outlandish TV Concepts Ever'. tvobscurities.com. 2004-01-01. Retrieved 2008-08-29.

References[edit]

  • Brooks, T. & Marsh, E. (1979). The Complete Directory To Primetime Network TV Shows. New York: Ballantine Books, pp. 454–455
  • Brooks, T. (1987). The Complete Directory To Primetime TV Stars. New York: Ballantine Books, p. 141
  • Tucker, D. C. (2010). Lost Laughs of '50s and '60s Television: Thirty Sitcoms That Faded Off Screen. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, pp. 171–177

Occasional Wife Tv Series Cast

External links[edit]

Occasional Wife (TV Series 1966–1967) - IMDb

  • Occasional Wife on IMDb
  • Occasional Wife at TV.com

Occasional Wife Tv Series

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Occasional_Wife&oldid=1003830366'




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