"That's My Mama" (1974) TV series 1974-1975

Creator:

Dan T. Bradley

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

4 September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

African American | Sitcom | Actor Shares First Name With Character

Cast

Theresa Merritt	...	Eloise 'Mama' Curtis (39 episodes, 1974-1975)
Ted Lange	...	Junior (39 episodes, 1974-1975)
Clifton Davis	...	Clifton Curtis (38 episodes, 1974-1975)
Teddy Wilson	...	Earl Chambers / ... (38 episodes, 1974-1975)
Lisle Wilson	...	Leonard Taylor (29 episodes, 1974-1975)
Lynne Moody	...	Tracy Curtis Taylor (22 episodes, 1974-1975)
Jester Hairston	...	Wildcat (22 episodes, 1974-1975)
DeForest Covan	...	Josh (22 episodes, 1974-1975)

Runtime:

30 min (39 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

CBS Television City - 7800 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Blye-Bearde Productions

Trivia:

Ted Lange as "Junior" had the show's one catchphrase, which he said each time he entered a scene: "Oo-wee! I got it, I got it, and I've got to ree-port it."

Quotes:

Clifton Curtis: [opening narration] Welcome to Oscar's Barbershop, named after my daddy who passed it on to me. It's been a part of Washington, DC a long time. This is me Clifton Curtis, my own boss and lovin' every minute of it, and this is my little sister Tracy and her husband Leonard. This is my best friend, happy-go-lucky Earl, and this wonderful person, well... That's My Mama!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Family Guy: Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington (#3.3)" (2001)

One of the Lost 1970's African-American sitcoms

While it was never as popular as the more well known African-American sitcoms of the 1970s (Sanford and Son, Good Times, What's Happening?), That's My Mama provided some good laughs. Clifton Curtis (Clifton Davis) was a Washington DC barber who shared a house with his mother, Eloise (Theresa Merritt). His sister Tracy (played by Joan Pringle in early episodes, and later by Lynne Moody) was married to Leonard, a stiff, unhip accountant. Clifton's friends were Earl (Teddy Wilson), a mailman who later became his partner in the barbershop, and Junior (Ted Lange), a boisterous junior college student. Wildcat (Jester Hairston) and Josh (DeForest Covan) were two senior citizens who hung out in the barbershop. Eloise was billed as the main character, but the focus was more on Clifton. Eloise basically gave advice whenever the other characters got into trouble.

It's interesting to note that both Clifton Davis and Jester Hairston went on to star together in the early 1990's sitcom, Amen. Sharp-eyed television viewers will also recognize Teddy Wilson as having made several appearances on "Good Times" as the street hustler, Sweet Daddy. That's My Mama is seldom shown in reruns, probably because it only lasted a couple of seasons.