"Soap" (1977) TV series 1977-1981

Creator:

Susan Harris
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

13 September 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The soap-operish antics of two families: the Campbells and the Tates.

Plot Keywords:

Soap Opera | Alien Abduction | Post Traumatic Stress Disorder | Shell Shock | Gay Son

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 18 nominations

Cast

Rod Roddy	...	Announcer (84 episodes, 1977-1981)
Katherine Helmond	...	Jessica Tate (82 episodes, 1977-1981)
Richard Mulligan	...	Burt Campbell (82 episodes, 1977-1981)
Cathryn Damon	...	Mary Campbell (80 episodes, 1977-1981)
Ted Wass	...	Danny Dallas (74 episodes, 1977-1981)
Billy Crystal	...	Jodie Dallas (73 episodes, 1977-1981)
Robert Mandan	...	Chester Tate (72 episodes, 1977-1981)
Jennifer Salt	...	Eunice Tate / ... (63 episodes, 1977-1981)
Jimmy Baio	...	Billy Tate (60 episodes, 1977-1981)
Diana Canova	...	Corinne Tate-Flotsky / ... (59 episodes, 1977-1980)
Arthur Peterson	...	The Major (56 episodes, 1977-1981)
Jay Johnson	...	Bob Campbell / ... (56 episodes, 1977-1981)
Robert Guillaume	...	Benson DuBois (49 episodes, 1977-1980)
Donnelly Rhodes	...	Dutch Leitner (35 episodes, 1978-1981)

Series Directed by
Jay Sandrich		(42 episodes, 1977-1979)
J.D. Lobue		(27 episodes, 1979-1981)

Series Writing credits
Susan Harris		(69 episodes, 1977-1981)
Stu Silver		(42 episodes, 1978-1981)
Dick Clair		(11 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jenna McMahon		(11 episodes, 1980-1981)
Danny Jacobson		(7 episodes, 1981)
Tony Lang		(6 episodes, 1977)
Barry Vigon		(5 episodes, 1981)

Series Produced by
Susan Harris	....	producer / supervising producer (27 episodes, 1977-1981)
Paul Junger Witt	....	executive producer (27 episodes, 1977-1980)
Tony Thomas	....	executive producer (27 episodes, 1977-1980)
Andrew J. Selig	....	associate producer (25 episodes, 1977-1980)
Marsha Posner Williams	....	assistant producer / associate producer (4 episodes, 1980)
Harry Waterson	....	associate producer (2 episodes, 1977)

Series Original Music by
George Aliceson Tipton		(27 episodes, 1977-1980)

Series Cinematography by
Larry Boelens		(11 episodes, 1977)
Richard Hissong		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Gary Anderson		(25 episodes, 1977-1978)
Barry Cohen		(6 episodes, 1978)
Jean Jellinek Jones		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Judith Weiner		(1 episode, 1980-1981)
Joan Barnett		(1 episode, 1980)

Series Production Design by
Edward Stephenson		(27 episodes, 1977-1980)

Series Set Decoration by
Robert Checchi		(2 episodes, 1977)

Series Costume Design by
Judy Evans		(16 episodes, 1977-1980)

Series Makeup Department
Shanon Ely	....	hairdresser (11 episodes, 1977-1978)
Ray Steele	....	makeup artist (11 episodes, 1978-1980)
Maurice Stein	....	makeup artist (10 episodes, 1977-1978)
Larry Abbott	....	makeup artist (7 episodes, 1977)
Joyce Conroy	....	hairdresser (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Production Management
Don Richetta	....	post-production supervisor (15 episodes, 1977-1980)
Barry Haworth	....	unit manager (13 episodes, 1977-1978)
Tom Bruehl	....	unit manager (2 episodes, 1977)
Steve Auer	....	unit manager (unknown episodes)
Gil Junger	....	post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J.D. Lobue	....	associate director (23 episodes, 1977-1978)
Bob Lally	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1977)

Series Art Department
Edwin McCormick	....	props (4 episodes, 1981)

Series Sound Department
Art Morgenstern	....	audio (12 episodes, 1977-1978)
Doc Siegel	....	audio (11 episodes, 1977)
Ken Becker	....	audio (2 episodes, 1977)
Joyce Grossman	....	audio (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Stunts
Jim J. Poslof	....	stunts (1 episode, 1980)
Greg Anderson	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen A. Jones	....	camera operator (17 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jan Lowry	....	camera operator (15 episodes, 1977-1980)
Larry Boelens	....	lighting consultant (14 episodes, 1977-1978)
D.J. Diomedes	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1977-1980)
Warren Cress	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1977-1978)
Don Jones	....	camera operator (11 episodes, 1977)
Rocky Danielson	....	camera operator (10 episodes, 1977)
Gary Stanton	....	camera operator (10 episodes, 1977)
Alan Walker	....	lighting director (10 episodes, 1978)
Jim Balden	....	camera operator (9 episodes, 1977-1978)
Dick Engstrom	....	video operator (9 episodes, 1978)
Blair White	....	camera operator (7 episodes, 1978-1980)
Irv Waitsman	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 1977)
Mike Keeler	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 1977)
Richard Hissong	....	lighting director (3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Ken Dahlquist	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
John Gillis	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
Larry Heider	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
Jim Ratcliffe	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1977)
Dick Watson	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
George Wood	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1977)
Bud Holland	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1978)
Art LaCombe	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1980)
Charlene Morgan	....	lighting board operator (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Judy Evans	....	costume supervisor (11 episodes, 1977)
Al Lehman	....	wardrobe (2 episodes, 1977)

Series Editorial Department
Ralph Riskin	....	editorial supervisor (7 episodes, 1978)
Jean Jellinek Jones	....	editorial supervisor / post-production coordinator (2 episodes, 1980)
Bill Petty	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
George Aliceson Tipton	....	composer: theme music (1 episode, 1980)
Scott Gale	....	music coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Carl Lauten	....	stage manager (26 episodes, 1977-1980)
Phil Ramuno	....	stage manager / associate director (25 episodes, 1977-1980)
Marsha Posner Williams	....	assistant to producers / production secretary / ... (25 episodes, 1977-1978)
Linda Day	....	script supervisor / assistant to producer (24 episodes, 1977-1978)
Gerry Bucci	....	technical director / studio supervisor (15 episodes, 1977-1980)
Jim Wycoff	....	studio supervisor / technical director (13 episodes, 1977-1978)
Linda Hamner	....	production assistant (13 episodes, 1978)
Christopher Cookson	....	engineering supervisor (12 episodes, 1977-1978)
Chuck Reilly	....	video (11 episodes, 1977)
Robert Jones	....	technical director (9 episodes, 1977)
Randy Blim	....	engineering supervisor (7 episodes, 1977)
Nancy Rogow	....	production assistant (4 episodes, 1979)
Jerry Cell	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1977)
Lynn Derwin	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1977)
Steve Dichter	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1977)
Mike Maloof	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1977)
Susan Beavers	....	production associate / script supervisor (2 episodes, 1980)
Eric Clay	....	video (2 episodes, 1980)
Tony Neely	....	production coordinator (2 episodes, 1980)
Tom Carpenter	....	stage manager (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (in association with)
• Witt/Thomas Productions
• Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1977-1981) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia House (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)

Other Companies

• Golden West Videotape  facilities
• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies

Runtime:

30 min (93 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M (some episodes) | Australia:PG (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

"Soap" was actually the working title for the show, while the producers tried to come up with a better name, and was used all through preproduction. No better name was ever decided upon, so "Soap" became the formal title when the show went into production.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first episode, Chester Tate tells Benson he can't eat eggs as he has high cholesterol, but in several other episodes, he is clearly seen eating eggs.

Quotes:

[in a sex therapist's office]
Dr Medlow: What seems to be the problem?
Mary Gatling Dallas Campbell: Burt can't have sex with me.
Burt: Great. Why don't you tell the whole world, Mary. Or better yet put it in the Yellow Pages under Burt.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Family Guy: Bango Was His Name Oh (#4.29)" (2006)

An honestly funny show

I watched the re-runs of this hilarious show when they came on on Comedy Central (which they may still, who knows) and loved it. The show actually has an ongoing plot, which carries from the first episode through the end of the series (which, btw, is rather sad). The characters all have their own quirks or

characteristics that make them unique. Mary and Corrine were my favorites :)