Frank's Place

Frank's Place is an American comedy-drama series that aired on CBS for 22 episodes during the 1987-1988 television season. The series was created by Hugh Wilson and executive produced by Wilson and series star and fellow WKRP in Cincinnati alumnus Tim Reid.

Frank's Place
Genre	Comedy-drama
Created by	Hugh Wilson
Written by	Richard Dubin David Chambers Samm-Art Williams Hugh Wilson
Directed by	Neema Barnette Richard Dubin Stan Lathan Max Tash Hugh Wilson
Starring	Tim Reid Daphne Maxwell Reid Tony Burton Virginia Capers Robert Harper
Theme music composer	Louis Alter Eddie DeLange
Opening theme	"Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" performed by Louis Armstrong
Composer(s)	Richard Kosinski
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	22
Production
Executive producer(s)	Tim Reid Hugh Wilson
Producer(s)	Max Tash David Chambers Richard Dubin
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	22–24 minutes
Production company(s)	Viacom Productions
Distributor	CBS Television Distribution
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	September 14, 1987 (1987-09-14) – March 22, 1988 (1988-03-22)

TV Guide ranked it No. 3 on its 2013 list of 60 shows that were "Cancelled Too Soon".[1]

Plot

Set in New Orleans, Frank's Place chronicles the life of Frank Parrish (Tim Reid), a well-to-do African-American professor at Brown University, an Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island, who inherits a restaurant, Chez Louisiane. In the premiere, Frank travels to New Orleans intending to sell the restaurant. However, waitress Emerita (she waits only on customers with twenty years or more of patronage) of Chez Louisiane—Miss Marie (Frances E. Williams) has a voodoo spin (curse) put on Frank ensuring that he will come back to carry on his family's business. Consequently, when Frank returns to New England, the life he's known there suddenly goes inexplicably haywire. Feeling he has no choice, Frank returns to New Orleans and makes many discoveries about black culture in New Orleans, the differences between northern and southern lifestyles, and himself.

On its surface, Frank's Place was a fish-out-of-water story, like The Beverly Hillbillies or Green Acres. However, the series' story lines featured weightier topics such as race and class issues.

Supporting cast

• Daphne Maxwell Reid (Tim Reid's real-life wife) as Hanna Griffin
• Tony Burton as Big Arthur
• Virginia Capers as Mrs. Bertha Griffin-Lamour
• Robert Harper as Bubba Weisberger
• Lincoln Kilpatrick as Reverend Deal
• Charles Lampkin as Tiger Shepin
• Francesca P. Roberts as Anna Mae
• Don Yesso as Shorty La Roux
• William Thomas, Jr. as Cool Charles
• Frances E. Williams as Miss Marie, oldest living waitress

Production

The idea for the series came from CBS vice president, Gregg Maday. As a young man, Maday frequented a restaurant in Buffalo, New York named Dan Montgomery's. Maday also wanted a series based in New Orleans due to the mid-1980s interest in Cajun cuisine and zydeco. The two ideas were combined. Wilson and Reid spent time in New Orleans for research. They found a restaurant named Chez Helene, and many of the things they encountered there were included in the series. Big Arthur was based on Chez Helene's owner, Austin Leslie. The series focused more on Creole cuisine and Creole culture rather than Cajun.[2]

Don Yesso was a real-life New Orleans native whom Wilson met on a flight to the city. Yesso was not an actor, but Wilson cast him because of his genuine Yat dialect.[2]

Unlike most sitcom productions of the era, Frank's Place was filmed with a single camera and used no laugh track.

Theme song

The series theme song was Louis Armstrong's classic "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?".

Episodes

Series No.	Title	Written by	Directed by	Original air date
1	"Pilot"	Hugh Wilson	Hugh Wilson	September 14, 1987 (1987-09-14)
Brown University professor Frank Parrish inherits his estranged father's New Orleans restaurant, Chez Louisiane.
2	"Frank Returns"	Hugh Wilson	Hugh Wilson	September 21, 1987 (1987-09-21)
A voodoo "spin" compels Frank to return to New Orleans and run the Chez.
3	"Frank Takes Charge"	David Chambers	Stan Lathan	September 28, 1987 (1987-09-28)
Frank tries to get the hang of running a restaurant.
4	"The Bridge"	Hugh Wilson	Hugh Wilson	October 5, 1987 (1987-10-05)
A man drives his truck off a bridge and dies after drinking at the Chez. A high-powered lawyer (Conchata Ferrell) with connections to the dead man's wife (Beah Richards) announces her intention to sue Frank for everything he's got.
5	"Frank Joins the Club"	Samm-Art Williams	Neema Barnette	October 12, 1987 (1987-10-12)
Frank is recruited to be the token dark-skinned member of a club for light-skinned black people.
6	"Eligible Bachelor"	Pamela Douglas	Stan Lathan	October 19, 1987 (1987-10-19)
Frank finds himself newly popular with women.
7	"Disengaged"	David Chambers	Max Tash	October 26, 1987 (1987-10-26)
Hanna breaks off her engagement.
8	"Cool and the Gang (part 1)"	Richard Dubin	Hugh Wilson	November 9, 1987 (1987-11-09)
Cool Charles is offered a part-time job by a 16-year-old boss.
9	"Cool and the Gang (part 2)"	Richard Dubin	Hugh Wilson	November 16, 1987 (1987-11-16)
Cool Charles's friends get concerned about his involvement with gang life.
10	"The Reverend Gets a Flock"	David Chambers	Neema Barnette	November 23, 1987 (1987-11-23)
The Reverend Deal gets a new job opportunity of his own.
11	"I.O.U."	Samm-Art Williams	Roy Campanella II	November 30, 1987 (1987-11-30)
Frank is told that he's going to have to pay off his father's old gambling debts – or else.
12	"Food Fight"	Richard Dubin	Hugh Wilson	December 7, 1987 (1987-12-07)
A dispute over recipes is settled by a boxing match between the chefs of the Chez and a rival restaurant.
13	"Season's Greetings"	Hugh Wilson (teleplay) Don Yesso (story)	Helaine Head	December 14, 1987 (1987-12-14)
Frank goes to Bubba's family's place for a Hanukkah party, where Bubba pretends that he and Frank are lovers.
14	"The Bum Out Front"	Hugh Wilson	Frank Bonner	January 4, 1988 (1988-01-04)
Frank develops an unusual relationship with a vagrant who lives outside the Chez and refuses to leave.
15	"Dueling Voodoo"	David Chambers	Richard Dubin	January 11, 1988 (1988-01-11)
To get rid of a tenant who appears to have voodoo powers, Frank enlists the help of the voodoo expert who cursed him.
16	"Where's Ed?"	Hugh Wilson	Hugh Wilson	January 18, 1988 (1988-01-18)
Tiger's buddies steal the corpse of an old friend and bring it to the Chez, and the body winds up in the restaurant's freezer just as the health inspector is visiting.
17	"Night Business"	Hugh Wilson	Max Tash	February 3, 1988 (1988-02-03)
Frank hires a consultant to help the Chez improve its business and get a broader range of customers.
18	"Shorty's Belle"	Craig Nelson	Max Tash	February 15, 1988 (1988-02-15)
Shorty tries to help a Southern damsel in distress.
19	"Frank's Place – The Movie"	Hugh Wilson (teleplay) Hugh Wilson & Tim Reid (story)	Hugh Wilson	February 22, 1988 (1988-02-22)
A film director (Daniel Davis) uses the Chez as a set for a movie, and Frank has a shot with the movie's leading lady (Pam Grier).
20	"Cultural Exchange"	Samm-Art Williams	Kevin Rodney Sullivan	March 7, 1988 (1988-03-07)
A group of African musicians visits New Orleans, and one of them is so impressed by Dizzy Gillespie that he wants to stay in America and play jazz.
21	"The Recruiting Game"	David Chambers	Richard Dubin	March 15, 1988 (1988-03-15)
Frank helps a high school basketball star field offers from various colleges.
22	"The King of Wall Street"	Samm-Art Williams	Asaad Kelada	March 22, 1988 (1988-03-22)
While eating dinner at the Chez, a Wall Street tycoon learns that he's been the victim of a hostile takeover.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Recipient	Result
1988	Golden Globe Award	Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy	Tim Reid, Hugh Wilson, Max Tash David Chambers, Richard Dubin	Nominated
1988	Primetime Emmy Award
		Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Tim Reid	Nominated
		Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series	Tim Reid, Hugh Wilson, Max Tash David Chambers, Richard Dubin	Nominated
		Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series	Hugh Wilson For episode: "The Bridge"	Won
		Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special	Michael Ballin, Marty Church, Lenora Peterson, and M. Curtis Price For episode "Food Fight"	Won
		Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series	Beah Richards For the role of Mrs. Varden in "The Bridge"	Won
1988	Humanitas Prize	30 Minute Category	Hugh Wilson	Won
1990	NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Tim Reid	Won
1988	Television Critics Association Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Comedy	Tim Reid and Hugh Wilson	Won
1988	Viewers for Quality Television Awards	Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series	Tim Reid	Won

Syndication

Reruns aired on BET in 1990.[3]

DVD release

In October 2008, CNN.com reported that because of music clearance issues, a DVD release would be unlikely.[4] However, on November 11, 2008, TV Shows on DVD reported that plans are underway for an eventual DVD release, although Tim Reid has said that, due to the prohibitive costs of the music rights, a new musical score will be recorded that will "recreate the mood of the music." He adds, "it has to be the mood of the show or I'd rather not do it." [5] No date has been yet given for a release.

References

1. Roush, Matt (June 3, 2013). "Cancelled Too Soon". TV Guide. pp. 20 and 21
2. Walker, Dave (2002-10-20). "Frankly unforgettable - It lasted just one season. But even now, 15 years after its premiere, the gloriously New Orleans-centric series 'Frank's Place' holds a special place in television history". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2014-04-15.
3. Dawson, Greg (1990-01-25). "'Frank's Place' Back". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2014-04-15.
4. CNN.Com "The Marquee Blog, October 3, 2008
5. Frank's Place - The Short Lived Sitcom Starring Tim Reid Could Come to DVD...But with Music Changes, tvshowsondvd.com November 11, 2008

External links

• Frank's Place entry at The Museum of Broadcast Communications
• Frank's Place on IMDb
• Frank's Place at TV.com