Night Court

Night Court is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 31, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan municipal court presided over by a young, unorthodox judge, Harold T. "Harry" Stone (played by Harry Anderson). The series was created by comedy writer Reinhold Weege, who had previously worked on Barney Miller in the 1970s and early 1980s.

This article is about the television series. For the film, see Night Court (film).

Night Court
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Reinhold Weege
Starring	Harry Anderson John Larroquette Richard Moll Selma Diamond Florence Halop Charles Robinson Markie Post Marsha Warfield Ellen Foley
Opening theme	Jack Elliott
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	9
No. of episodes	193 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Reinhold Weege Larry Strawther Gary Murphy Chris Cluess Stu Kreisman
Producer(s)	Bob Stevens Nat Mauldin Linwood Boomer Tom Straw Kevin Kelton
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	23–24 minutes
Production company(s)	Starry Night Productions (1984–1989) (seasons 1–6) Warner Bros. Television
Distributor	Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Release
Original network	NBC
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	January 4, 1984 (1984-01-04) – May 31, 1992 (1992-05-31)

Cast

Main

These cast members appeared in the opening credits:[1]

• The judge:
  • Harry Anderson, as Judge Harold "Harry" T. Stone, is a young, baby-faced, good-humored jurist and amateur magician whose parents were former mental patients. He was very young for a new judge, being only 34 when he took the bench. He got his assignment because the outgoing mayor made a huge number of appointments on his last day, and Harry was the only person on the judges' list who answered the call and accepted the nomination. He loved old movies, was vocal in his disdain for modern music (especially Barry Manilow), and idolized actress Jean Harlow and crooner Mel Tormé, both of whose photographs adorned Stone's chambers.
• The public defenders:
  • Gail Strickland is public defender Sheila Gardner (pilot episode only).
  • Paula Kelly is Liz Williams (season 1).
  • Ellen Foley as Billie Young (season 2) is a public defender and potential romantic interest for Stone during season 2.
  • Markie Post as Christine Sullivan (seasons 3–9): Her first appearance on the show was an early second-season episode ("Daddy for the Defense", originally aired October 4, 1984); she did not become a regular until the third season. (Post was starring on The Fall Guy at the time.) The character was honest to a fault and somewhat naïve. She was the primary romantic interest for Stone and a regular target for Dan Fielding's lechery throughout the series' run. A huge fan of the British Royal family, she had various Princess Diana memorabilia collections such as a set of porcelain thimbles.
• The prosecutor:
  • John Larroquette, as Reinhold Daniel Fielding Elmore, using the name Daniel R. "Dan" Fielding, (although in the season-2 episode "Harry on Trial", he is referred to as Daniel K. Fielding), is a sex-obsessed narcissistic prosecutor, who would do almost anything to get a woman to sleep with him. It was hinted that he frequented dominatrices. He was the source of many witty and sometimes cruel remarks regarding almost every other character, although he occasionally showed compassion. When his homeless lackey Phil died, the ever-greedy Dan was excited to discover that Phil was in fact wealthy and expected to be the beneficiary of his millions, only to learn that Phil's will put Dan in charge of the Phil Foundation, tasked to give away Phil's entire fortune to worthy causes. Dan revealed near the end of the third-season episode number 22 "Hurricane (Part 2)" that his real first name was Reinhold (an obvious joke about the show's writer and producer of the same name), and that he began using the name Dan out of embarrassment when he started school. The other characters did not discover Dan's true name until the fifth-season episode "Dan, The Walking Time Bomb". It was earlier discovered, in the second-season episode "Dan's Parents", from Dan's parents Daddy-Bob (John McIntire) and Mucette (Jeanette Nolan), that he began using his middle name Fielding as a last name when he went to college because he thought it sounded better for a lawyer and because he was embarrassed of his impoverished childhood. During the eighth season, he was revealed to have a successful younger sister named Donna, whose morals and life goals were similar to his own.
• The bailiffs:
  • Richard Moll, as Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon, is a seemingly dim-witted hulk of a figure, who was actually patient, gentle, and child-like. He was fiercely protective of Harry. Bull was known for his catchphrase, "Ooo-kay", and clapping a hand loudly to his forehead when he realized he had made a mistake. Moll had been filming a sci-fi movie (Metalstorm) and had shaved his head for the role. The producers loved the look and Moll kept his head shaven for the entire run of the series.
  • Selma Diamond, as Selma Hacker (seasons 1–2), is a chain-smoking (like the actress who played her) older bailiff; her surname was a tongue-in-cheek reference. In one episode, she admitted to having had as many as six husbands, one of whom was a contortionist. Diamond died of cancer shortly after season 2, and the character's death was acknowledged on a subsequent episode.
  • Florence Halop, as Florence "Flo" Kleiner (season 3), is Selma's replacement. She was similar in age and personality to Selma, but loved motorcycles and heavy metal music. Halop died shortly after season 3, also of cancer like Diamond. In the opening episode of season 4, Harry Stone acknowledged that Florence Kleiner had also died.
  • Marsha Warfield, as Rosalind "Roz" Russell (seasons 4–9), the third bailiff, is a tall, tough, no-nonsense African-American woman. She usually projected a fearsome image. Sharp-tongued, in time she became close to her coworkers. Warfield stayed on the show for the rest of its run.
• The court clerks:
  • Karen Austin, as Lana Wagner (season 1), was the original romantic interest for Harry Stone, although she was engaged. Although Austin was asked to leave the show after 10 episodes,[2] she was seen in the opening credits of all 13 first-season episodes.
  • Charles Robinson, as Macintosh "Mac" Robinson (seasons 2–9), is a Vietnam War veteran. Easy-going and pragmatic, he was probably the most "sober" character. He had a good sense of humor, frequently having the last laugh at Dan, and was a loyal friend to his coworkers. He always wore a cardigan, plaid shirt, and knit tie. By the end of the series, he left his job to pursue his dream of going to film school and becoming a director.

Supporting

• Mike Finneran, as Art Fensterman, is a bumbling "fix-it man" attached to the courthouse. His attempts to fix the courthouse often disrupted Harry's proceedings in the courtroom.
• Martin Garner, as Bernie (seasons 1–3), is the operator of the concession stand in the cafeteria, who had a crush on Selma and was often seen trying to persuade her to stop smoking. After Selma died, he tried to court Flo. (When Bernie was not at the stand, various extras could be seen running it, including Al Rosen, best known as "Al" on Cheers.)
• Terry Kiser, as Al Craven (seasons 1–2), is an obnoxious, pushy tabloid reporter who sometimes hung around the courtroom in hopes of discovering a scandalous story.
• Jason Bernard, as Judge Willard (seasons 1–2), is an arrogant, humorless judge who did not approve of Harry's antics and tried to have him removed from the bench.
• Rita Taggart, as Carla Bouvier (seasons 1–2), is more commonly known as "Carla B", a prostitute who frequently appeared as a defendant and who had a crush on Harry.
• Ron Ross, as Dirk, is a wimpy bailiff.
• Denice Kumagai, as Quon Le Duc Robinson (seasons 2–9), is Mac's wife, a refugee from Vietnam, where she met Mac during his service in the Vietnam War when her family let Mac stay at their home while injured. Quon Le was naïve about America and its customs, but was loving and devoted to Mac. Mac originally married her to keep her in the country, claiming he was not in love with her, but that quickly changed. She did not understand the concept of 'buy now, pay later', very well, but became more financially responsible after opening a restaurant in season 3. In season 4, moments after being sworn in as an American citizen, Quon Le gave birth to Mac and her daughter, Renee Flicka Robinson, who was named after Quon Le's favorite television show as a child, My Friend Flicka.
• John Astin, as Buddy Ryan (seasons 3–9), is Harry's eccentric stepfather and a former patient in a psychiatric hospital. His catchphrase was the capper to stories involving his hospital stay or past strange behavior: "...but I'm feeling much better now," accompanied by a huge leering grin. He was later revealed to be Harry's biological father, admitting he had kept it a secret for fear that the truth would bring Harry's judicial ability into question.
• Mel Tormé, as himself in the first episode, was revealed as almost fanatically admired by Judge Stone. The two crossed paths, but Tormé grew to dislike the judge because Harry almost always ended up somehow causing misfortune or problems for his idol. Tormé once played Harry's guardian angel in an episode modeled after the film It's A Wonderful Life, where the angel shows Harry how his colleagues could have ended up had he never become a judge.
• William Utay, as Phil Sanders, is Dan's homeless lackey. Later in the series, Phil was killed in an accident involving a piano; "...the rope broke. The key was sharp, and Phil was flat." (Due to his fear of musical instruments, he had a special clause in his substantial life insurance policy providing additional benefit in the event of accidental death caused by a musical instrument.) Just before his death, Phil was revealed as actually extremely wealthy, but chose to live among the poor (a former stockbroker suffering from Howard Hughes syndrome)—in fact, the show cleverly suggested the New York Harmonic Orchestra was known as the "PHILharmonic Orchestra" because Phil was one of its greatest patrons. Utay later played Phil's evil twin brother Will, who befriended Dan to steal all of the Phil Foundation's money. Will later returned what he had stolen along with additional cash from successful investing, and devoted the rest of his life to doing good deeds on Dan's behalf.
• Brent Spiner and Annie O'Donnell as Bob and June Wheeler, are down-on-their-luck stereotypical Appalachian yokels, who later reveal they are Yugoslavian, although they continue to speak the same way. Bob was a frequent defendant in Harry's courtroom, usually as the result of a series of freak disasters befalling his family. At one point, they ran a concession stand in the courthouse, for which they spent the entire inheritance ($250,000), that "Granny" (oft-mentioned but never seen) had left them, forcing them to charge astronomical prices.
• Leslie Bevis, as Sheila, is an exotic nymphomaniac who often appeared to entice Dan into a sexual liaison during or after court to his detriment, causing him to suffer a coma in one episode. In her final appearance, Sheila rejected Dan for a man who talked very, very slowly. She tells Dan she needs someone who "knows how to take his time." Sheila appeared in four episodes.
• Yakov Smirnoff, as Russian immigrant Yakov Korolenko, is another frequent visitor to the courtroom. In the first season, Harry saved a distraught Yakov from a suicide attempt, and they became good friends ever after. Yakov eventually tried to bring his brother to America, succeeded in getting his wife Sonja and kids out of the Soviet Union, and got his father to immigrate after the Cold War's end. A running joke on the series was when Judge Stone would mention jail, which had a completely different import to the Soviet immigrant, who would respond with obvious fear: "Jay-ul? Oh, noooo! No jay-ul!" Although Yakov's role was largely humorous, a few episodes were more serious, such as fighting the refusenik status of his wife and children, or where Yakov's father argued with Yakov about forgetting his roots. Judge Stone sided with the father, telling Yakov the American Dream is about liberty, not materialism.
• Eugene Roche, as Jack Sullivan, is Christine's overbearing, blue-collar father. He referred to Harry as "that nut".
• Daniel Frishman played Dan's boss, District Attorney Vincent Daniels, in several episodes. Though initially underestimated because he was a little person, he had an extremely tough personality and often had it in for Dan.
• Bumper Robinson, as Leon, is an orphan who becomes close to Harry. He first appears in season 2 as a shoeshine boy, who is always after Dan to pay for the shine. In season 3, he becomes Harry's temporary foster son before getting adoptive parents, whom he sees as geeks. Unsatisfied with the parents, he runs away after a confrontation with Harry, where he says that he wished Harry was his father from the start. He returns for one episode in season 4, in which Harry scares Leon into rejoining the foster program.
• Ray Abruzzo, as Tony Giuliano, is a police detective and Christine's ex-husband.
• Mary Cadorette, as Margaret Turner, is Harry's girlfriend/fiancée during season 8.
• S. Marc Jordan, as Jack Griffin (seasons 8–9), is the blind operator of the concession stand in the cafeteria.
• Joleen Lutz, as Lisette Hocheiser (seasons 8–9), is the ditzy court stenographer.
• Gilbert Gottfried, as Oscar Brown (season 9), is an attorney who filled in for Dan when he was missing.
• Florence Stanley, as Judge Margaret Wilbur, occasionally filled in for Harry; she did not tolerate the staff's usual eccentricities. (Wilbur was a cross-over character from the NBC situation comedy, My Two Dads, where Bull Shannon had made guest appearances in two episodes.)
• Richard Sanders, as City Auditor Clark Edwards, appeared in parts 1 and 2 of "Clip Show", season 6.

The only actors to appear consistently throughout the show's run were Anderson, Larroquette, and Moll.

Theme music

Every episode of Night Court opens and closes with a jazz-influenced, bass-heavy theme tune composed by Jack Elliott, featuring Ernie Watts on saxophone while featuring video footage of prominent New York City landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the New York County Courthouse.

Night Court's theme was used in the season-5 Family Guy episode "Bill & Peter's Bogus Journey", featuring animations of former US President Bill Clinton playing saxophone along with Secret Service musicians playing backup.

Night Court's theme was sampled for the remix to Cam'Ron's 1998 single "Horse & Carriage". It was produced by Darrell "Digga" Branch and featured Big Pun, Charli Baltimore, Wyclef Jean, and Silkk the Shocker.

Episodes

Main article: List of Night Court episodes

Season		Episodes		Originally aired		Rank	Rating	Tied with
				First aired	Last aired
	1	13		January 4, 1984 (1984-01-04)	May 31, 1984 (1984-05-31)	41	12.7	N/A
	2	22		September 27, 1984 (1984-09-27)	May 9, 1985 (1985-05-09)	20	17.6	N/A
	3	22		September 26, 1985 (1985-09-26)	May 8, 1986 (1986-05-08)	11	20.9	N/A
	4	22		October 2, 1986 (1986-10-02)	May 6, 1987 (1987-05-06)	7	23.2	N/A
	5	22		September 17, 1987 (1987-09-17)	May 12, 1988 (1988-05-12)	7	20.8	N/A
	6	22		October 26, 1988 (1988-10-26)	May 3, 1989 (1989-05-03)	21	16.9	N/A
	7	24		September 27, 1989 (1989-09-27)	May 2, 1990 (1990-05-02)	28	14.5	The Simpsons Doogie Howser, M.D.
	8	24		September 28, 1990 (1990-09-28)	May 8, 1991 (1991-05-08)	22	16.2	N/A
	9	22		September 18, 1991 (1991-09-18)	May 31, 1992 (1992-05-31)	60	10.7	N/A

Awards and honors

Night Court received a number of awards and nominations. Both Selma Diamond (in 1985) and John Larroquette (in 1988) earned Golden Globe nominations, but lost to Faye Dunaway and Rutger Hauer, respectively. Paula Kelly was nominated for an Emmy after the first season. Larroquette won four consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series from 1985 to 1988, before he withdrew his name from the ballot in 1989. Selma Diamond was nominated in 1985, and Anderson received three nominations in 1985, 1986, and 1987. The series received three nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1985, 1987, and 1988. The series also received many awards and nominations in the areas of lighting, editing, sound mixing, and technical direction. The show was nominated for 31 Emmys, winning seven.[1]

American Comedy Awards
Year	Category / Episode	Recipient / Nominee	Results	Ref
1990	Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a Television Series	John Larroquette	Nominated	[3]
Creative Arts Emmy Awards
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1984	Outstanding Costumes in a Series for ("Welcome Back, Mam")	Barbara Murphy	Nominated
1984	Outstanding Lighting for a Series for ("Bull's Baby")	John Appleroth	Nominated
1985	Outstanding Light for a Series for ("Billie's Valentine")	John Appleroth	Nominated
1985	Outstanding Light for a Series for ("Bull Gets a Kid")	Mark Buxbaum	Nominated
1985	Outstanding Videotape Editing for a Series for ("The Blizzard")	Jerry Davis	Nominated
1986	Outstanding Costumes in a Series for ("Halloween, Too")	Dan Frank Molly Harris Campbell	Nominated
1986	Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Series for ("Hurricane")	Jerry Davis	Nominated
1986	Outstanding Lighting for a Series for ("Leon We Hardly Knew Ye")	George Spiro Dibie	Nominated
1987	Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Series for ("Her Honor – Part 1")	Jerry Davis	Won
1987	Outstanding Costumes in a Series for ("A Day in the Life")	Dan Frank Molly Harris Campbell	Nominated
1988	Outstanding Lighting in a Comedy Series for ("Constitution – Part 2")	George Spiro Dibie	Nominated
1989	Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special for ("The Last Temptation of Mac")	Klaus Landsberg	Won
1989	Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video for a Series for ("Yet Another Day in the Life")	Robert G. Holmes	Won
1989	Outstanding Lighting for a Comedy Series for ("Danny Got His Gun – Part 3")	Robert Berry	Nominated
1990	Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video for a Series for ("Come Back To the Five and Dime, Stephen King")	Robert G. Holmes	Nominated
1991	Outstanding Lighting for a Comedy Series for ("Hey Harry", "F' Cryin' Out Loud", "It's A Wonderful Like..Sorta")	Charles L. Barbee	Nominated
1992	Outstanding Lighting for a Comedy Series for (A Guy Named Phantom – Part 1)"	Charles L. Barbee	Nominated
1992	Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video for a Series for ("A Guy Named Phantom – Part 2")	Robert G. Holmes	Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1985	Best Supporting Actress — Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television	Selma Diamond	Nominated
1988	Best Supporting Actor — Series, Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television	John Larroquette	Nominated
Online Film & Television Association
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
2013	Television Programs — Hall of Fame	Night Court	Won	[4]
Primetime Emmy Awards
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1984	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	Paula Kelly	Nominated
1985	Outstanding Comedy Series	Night Court	Nominated
1985	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Harry Anderson	Nominated
1985	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for ("Dan's Parents or Married Alive")	John Larroquette	Won
1985	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	Selma Diamond	Nominated
1986	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for ("Best of Friends")	John Larroquette	Won
1987	Outstanding Comedy Series	Night Court	Nominated
1987	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Harry Anderson	Nominated
1987	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for ("Dan's Operation")	John Larroquette	Won
1988	Outstanding Comedy Series	Night Court	Nominated
1988	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for ("No Hard Feelings")	John Larroquette	Won
Television Critics Association
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1985	Outstanding Achievement in Comedy	Night Court	Nominated
Writers Guild of America
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1985	Episodic Comedy for ("Once in Love with Harry")	Reinhold Weege	Nominated	[5]
1987	Episodic Comedy for ("Best of Friends")	Howard Ostroff	Nominated	[6]
1988	Episodic Comedy for ("Contempt of Courting")	Tom Straw	Nominated	[7]
1989	Episodic Comedy for ("No Hart Feelings")	Tom Straw	Nominated	[8]

Syndication

United States

After its primary run in broadcast syndication, the series aired on cable's A&E Network for many years. It was briefly seen later on Antenna TV and then on TV Land from 2005 to 2008, then began airing on Encore Classic on December 2, 2013. Beginning at the end of 2015, the show airs nationally on the Laff digital multicast subchannel.

Canada

Aired weekdays on both Comedy Gold and JoyTV.

Australia

Network Ten first broadcast the series in the 1980s and 1990s. 7TWO began showing reruns in June 2011.

New Zealand

The show screened weekly on TVNZ 1 in the 1980s and 1990s, and was rerun in the late 1990s.

Home media

Warner Home Video released the first three seasons on DVD in Region 1. Seasons 4–9 were released as Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) DVDs as part of the Warner Archive Collection.[9]

DVD Name	Ep. #	Release Date
The Complete First Season[10]	13	February 8, 2005
The Complete Second Season[11]	22	February 3, 2009
The Complete Third Season[12]	22	February 23, 2010
The Complete Fourth Season[13]	22	March 1, 2011 (Amazon.com) September 1, 2011 (WBShop.com)
The Complete Fifth Season[14]	22	October 25, 2011
The Complete Sixth Season[15]	22	June 26, 2012
The Complete Seventh Season[16]	22	November 6, 2012
The Complete Eighth Season[17]	24	January 29, 2013
The Complete Ninth Season[18]	22	June 11, 2013

Special releases

DVD Name	Release Date	Ep. #
Television Favorites	February 28, 2006	6

The Television Favorites compilation DVD included the pilot episode, "All You Need Is Love"; both parts of the fourth-season finale, "Her Honor"; the fifth-season episodes "Death of a Bailiff" and "Who Was That Mashed Man?"; and the sixth-season episode "Fire", which marked the beginning of Harry's relationship with Christine.

Harry Anderson, Markie Post, and Charles Robinson appeared in the 30 Rock episode, "The One with the Cast of Night Court". John Larroquette is also mentioned; Harry says he had just spoken to John, which annoys Markie (who has not had recent contact with her absent former co-star) and begins an argument between them that lasts for most of the story.

References

1. "Night Court: Where Are They Now?". Ew.com. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
2. "The Five Best NIGHT COURT Episodes of Season One". Jacksonupperco.ccom. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
3. "American Comedy Awards, USA (1990)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
4. "Online Film & Television Association (2013)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
5. "Writers Guild of America, USA (1985)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
6. "Writers Guild of America, USA (1987)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
7. "Writers Guild of America, USA (1988)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
8. "Writers Guild of America, USA (1989)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
9. "Night Court DVD news: Announcement for Night Court – The Complete 9th Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013.
10. "Night Court: The Complete First Season". DVDEmpire.
11. "Night Court: The Complete Second Season". DVDEmpire.
12. "Night Court: The Complete Third Season". DVDEmpire.
13. "Night Court: The Complete Fourth Season". www.WBShop.com.
14. "Night Court: The Complete Fifth Season". www.WBShop.com.
15. "Night Court: The Complete Sixth Season". www.WBShop.com.
16. "Night Court: The Complete Seventh Season". www.WBShop.com.
17. "Night Court: The Complete Eighth Season (MOD) |". www.WBShop.com. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
18. "Night Court: The Complete Ninth Season (MOD) |". www.WBShop.com. Retrieved September 2, 2015.

External links

• Night Court at AllMovie
• Night Court on IMDb
• Night Court at TV.com