"My Mother the Car" (1965) TV series 1965-1966

Creators:

Allan Burns
Chris Hayward

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

14 September 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Plot Keywords:

Classic Car | Mother | Reincarnation | Talking Car | Mother Son Relationship

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jerry Van Dyke	...	Dave Crabtree (30 episodes, 1965-1966)
Ann Sothern	...	Gladys Crabtree (30 episodes, 1965-1966)
Maggie Pierce	...	Barbara Crabtree (30 episodes, 1965-1966)
Cindy Eilbacher	...	Cindy Crabtree (27 episodes, 1965-1966)
Randy Whipple	...	Randy Crabtree (27 episodes, 1965-1966)
Avery Schreiber	...	Capt. Manzini (23 episodes, 1965-1966)

Runtime:

30 min (30 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Company:

Cottage Industries Inc.

Trivia:

"Mother" was a 1928 Porter, but not one of the real two Porter makes that had existed; the car was made from a 1927 Ford Model T Touring car by none other than George Barris. Mr. Barris is the same fellow who modified the Lincoln Futura experimental car from the 1950s into the Batmobile and unlike a Model T "Mom" had a 327 Chevy V8 engine and automatic transmission. Barris built two Porters for the show; one is in Tennessee and the other is in Alberta. One of the cars had removable floorboards and controls which would allow the car to be driven with a driver out of sight, controlling it by watching through hidden mirrors.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mary Tyler Moore: The Co-Producers (#4.18)" (1974)

Wacky premise, wacky characters, wacky car...should have worked.

There's been scores of bad TV sitcoms (due to bad writing, bad acting, bad production values), but this is not really one of them. The premise (a man's mother is rein-CAR-nated) can hardly be considered out of the norm in a world of Jeannie, Samantha, the Flying Nun, Herman Munster, Lost in Space's robot, and Gilligan. Jerry Van Dyke (who chose this role over the Gilligan role) does the same humor he always does and Ann Sothern's voice as "Mother" adds class and talent. Wacky premise, wacky character, wacky car...should have worked. Nick at Nite should put this on the air where it belongs.