"Charles in Charge" (1984) TV series 1984-1990

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Bonnie Franklin

Writers:

Martie Cook (writer)
Richard Marcus (writer)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

3 October 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Charles, a college student, moves in with the Powell family as the housekeeper, baby-sitter, and friend to the children...

Plot Keywords:

College Student | Best Friend | Teenager | New Jersey | Dating

Awards:

2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Josie Davis	...	Sarah Powell (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Scott Baio	...	Charles (89 episodes, 1984-1990)
Willie Aames	...	Buddy Lembeck (89 episodes, 1984-1990)
Nicole Eggert	...	Jamie Powell (67 episodes, 1987-1990)
James T. Callahan	...	Walter Powell (67 episodes, 1987-1990)
Alexander Polinsky	...	Adam Powell (67 episodes, 1987-1990)

(more)

Series Directed by
Scott Baio		(36 episodes, 1987-1990)
Alan Rafkin		(19 episodes, 1984-1985)
Zane Buzby		(13 episodes, 1987-1990)
Phil Ramuno		(13 episodes, 1987-1988)
Bob Claver		(11 episodes, 1987-1990)
Christine Ballard		(7 episodes, 1989-1990)
Madeline Cripe		(6 episodes, 1987-1988)
Jules Lichtman		(3 episodes, 1987)
Tony Singletary		(2 episodes, 1984)
Brian Levant		(2 episodes, 1988-1989)
Mary Lou Belli		(2 episodes, 1988)
Gary Brown		(2 episodes, 1988)
Bonnie Franklin		(1 episode, 1988)

Series Writing credits
Bill Greer		(29 episodes, 1987-1989)
Kathy Greer		(29 episodes, 1987-1989)
Lee Aronsohn		(13 episodes, 1987-1989)
Marc Sheffler		(10 episodes, 1987-1988)
Michael Jacobs		(9 episodes, 1984-1987)
Adrienne Armstrong		(8 episodes, 1987-1989)
Mitzi McCall		(6 episodes, 1987-1988)
Judy Pioli		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Marc Sotkin		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Mitchell Bank		(5 episodes, 1987-1989)
Pamela Pettler		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Bud Wiser		(3 episodes, 1989)
Jeffrey Ferro		(2 episodes, 1985)
Fredric Weiss		(2 episodes, 1985)
Chuck Lorre		(2 episodes, 1987)
Alan Moskowitz		(2 episodes, 1987)
Seth Weisbord		(2 episodes, 1987)
John Vorhaus		(2 episodes, 1988)
Al Burton		(2 episodes, 1989)
Howard Friedlander		(2 episodes, 1989)
Duncan Scott McGibbon		(2 episodes, 1989)
Ken Peragine		(2 episodes, 1989)
James Vallely		(2 episodes, 1989)
Ron Zimmerman		(2 episodes, 1989)
Martie Cook		(unknown episodes)
Richard Marcus		(unknown episodes)
Kathleen McGhee-Anderson		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Al Burton	....	executive producer (23 episodes, 1984-1987)
Michael Jacobs	....	producer / co-executive producer (23 episodes, 1984-1987)
Jane Startz	....	co-executive producer (23 episodes, 1984-1987)
John Ward	....	associate producer (23 episodes, 1984-1987)
Mitchell Bank	....	producer / co-producer (20 episodes, 1984-1987)

Series Original Music by
Todd Hayen		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Tony Yarlett		(23 episodes, 1984-1987)
Carl Pitsch		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Tucker Wiard		(18 episodes, 1984-1985)
Ron Menzies		(8 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Casting by
Donald Paul Pemrick		(21 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Art Direction by
John C. Mula		(23 episodes, 1984-1987)

Series Set Decoration by
Sam J. Jones		(9 episodes, 1984-1985)
Gregory Garrison		(6 episodes, 1985)
John Told		(5 episodes, 1984)
Deborah Siegel		(2 episodes, 1985)

Series Costume Design by
Sandra Baker		(1 episode, 1984)

Series Makeup Department
Larry Abbott	....	makeup artist (20 episodes, 1984-1985)
Delree F. Todd	....	hair stylist (12 episodes, 1984-1985)
Caryl Codon-Tharp	....	hair stylist (8 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gail Liberti-Kennedy	....	associate director (1 episode, 1984)
Madeline Cripe	....	associate director (1 episode, 1987)

Series Art Department
Ed Brown	....	lead man (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Russ Gary	....	audio (22 episodes, 1984-1985)
Mike Clark	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Sager	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1989)
Dave Heckman	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dorothy Baca	....	costume supervisor (14 episodes, 1984-1985)
Bill Slattery	....	costume supervisor (14 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Music Department
Al Burton	....	composer: theme music (23 episodes, 1984-1987)
David Kurtz	....	composer: theme music (23 episodes, 1984-1987)
Michael Jacobs	....	composer: theme music (22 episodes, 1984-1987)
Timothy Thompson	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Lee Aronsohn	....	story consultant (26 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mitchell Bank	....	program coordinator (22 episodes, 1984-1985)
Lisa Melamed	....	program coordinator (22 episodes, 1984-1985)
Gene Abravaya	....	stage manager (21 episodes, 1984-1985)
Chuck Reilly	....	technical director (21 episodes, 1984-1985)
Madeline Cripe	....	script supervisor (20 episodes, 1984-1985)
Pat Fischer-Doak	....	associate director (20 episodes, 1984-1985)
Judy Pioli	....	executive story consultant (18 episodes, 1984-1985)
Marc Sotkin	....	executive story consultant (18 episodes, 1984-1985)
Steve Burgess	....	stage manager (16 episodes, 1984-1985)
Jeffrey Ferro	....	executive story consultant (9 episodes, 1984-1985)
Fredric Weiss	....	executive story consultant (9 episodes, 1984-1985)
George Tibbles	....	executive story consultant (8 episodes, 1984-1985)
Lonnie Steinberg	....	stage manager (4 episodes, 1984)
Patricia Zakarian	....	assistant to producer (4 episodes, 1985)
Tom Brocato	....	publicist (unknown episodes)
Carolyn Hayes	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Kate McCallum	....	script coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Al Burton Productions
• Scholastic Productions
• Universal TV

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1984-1985)
• MCA/Universal Television
• Studios USA Television
• The Program Exchange
• Universal TV

Runtime:

30 min (126 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Al Burton Productions

Trivia:

The role of Charles was written for Michael J. Fox, who declined.

Quotes:

Charles: [Charles finds Douglas at work with a skateboard] ... Doug, do you need help tightening those wheels?
Douglas Pembroke: I'm not tightening them; I'm loosening them.
Charles: That's very dangerous!
Douglas Pembroke: I hope so; this is Jason's skateboard. He used my baseball glove to clean his fish tank! He's gotta be taught a lesson.
Charles: [confiscating the skateboard] That's not a crime punishable by death.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Rebel Set (#5.19)" (1992)

Great sitcom for kids

I rented this series for my 11 year old daughter to watch with me,as I had loved it when I was a kid and it was on first-run. I'm happy to say that she loves it, too. It's a wholesome show for kids to watch that is amusing and has a good moral to every show. I find it very refreshing to watch, and enjoy it myself, even after all these years. It's hard to find shows for my daughter to watch that aren't filled with sexual references, even when the show is supposed to be aimed at kids. Yes, the show is dated a bit, but if you're looking for a fun, entertaining, wholesome show for your kids to watch that hasn't been shown to rerun death already on TV, this is the show for you.