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

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Bonnie Franklin

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

Scott Baio	...	Charles (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Willie Aames	...	Buddy Lembeck (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Nicole Eggert	...	Jamie Powell (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Josie Davis	...	Sarah Powell (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Alexander Polinsky	...	Adam Powell (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
James T. Callahan	...	Walter Powell (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Ellen Travolta	...	Lillian (70 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, 1987-1989)
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)
Mary Lou Belli		(2 episodes, 1988-1989)
Brian Levant		(2 episodes, 1988-1989)
Gary Brown		(2 episodes, 1988)
Bonnie Franklin		(1 episode, 1988)

Series Writing credits
Bill Greer		(36 episodes, 1987-1990)
Kathy Greer		(36 episodes, 1987-1990)
Adrienne Armstrong		(16 episodes, 1987-1990)
Lee Aronsohn		(13 episodes, 1987-1989)
Marc Sheffler		(10 episodes, 1987-1988)
Michael Jacobs		(9 episodes, 1984-1987)
Mitchell Bank		(7 episodes, 1987-1990)
David DiGregorio		(7 episodes, 1990)
Arnie Wess		(7 episodes, 1990)
Mitzi McCall		(6 episodes, 1987-1988)
Judy Pioli		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Marc Sotkin		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
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)
Willie Aames		(2 episodes, 1989-1990)
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)

Series Produced by
Al Burton	....	executive producer (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Jane Startz	....	co-executive producer (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Bill Greer	....	supervising producer (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Kathy Greer	....	supervising producer (104 episodes, 1987-1990)
Michael Jacobs	....	co-executive producer / producer (74 episodes, 1984-1988)
John Ward	....	associate producer (74 episodes, 1984-1988)
Brian J. Cowan	....	associate producer (52 episodes, 1988-1990)
Mitchell Bank	....	co-producer / producer (46 episodes, 1984-1988)
Lisa Melamed	....	co-producer (3 episodes, 1987)
Sandy Sprung	....	co-producer (3 episodes, 1987)

Series Original Music by
David Kurtz		(51 episodes, 1987-1988)
Timothy Thompson		(26 episodes, 1988-1989)
Todd Hayen		(26 episodes, 1989-1990)

Series Cinematography by
Tony Yarlett		(27 episodes, 1984-1988)
Carl Pitsch		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Pam Marshall		(28 episodes, 1987-1988)
Tucker Wiard		(18 episodes, 1984-1985)
Ron Menzies		(8 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Casting by
Melvin Johnson		(27 episodes, 1987-1988)
Donald Paul Pemrick		(21 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Art Direction by
John C. Mula		(126 episodes, 1984-1990)

Series Set Decoration by
Sam J. Jones		(9 episodes, 1984-1985)
Gregory Garrison		(6 episodes, 1985)
John Told		(5 episodes, 1984)
Patricia Suzanne Bruner		(5 episodes, 1987-1988)
Deborah Siegel		(2 episodes, 1985)

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

Series Makeup Department
Marina Hart	....	hair stylist (52 episodes, 1987-1988)
Lisa Pharren	....	makeup artist (28 episodes, 1987-1988)
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
Madeline Cripe	....	associate director (5 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mary Hardwick	....	associate director (2 episodes, 1988)

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

Series Sound Department
Russ Gary	....	audio (22 episodes, 1984-1985)
Myles Weiner	....	audio (5 episodes, 1987-1988)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Sager	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 1989-1990)
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)
David Baca	....	costume supervisor (3 episodes, 1987)
Patricia A. Lopez	....	costume supervisor (3 episodes, 1987)
Paul Delucca	....	costume supervisor (2 episodes, 1988)
Sherry Thompson	....	costume supervisor (2 episodes, 1988)

Series Music Department
Al Burton	....	composer: theme music (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
David Kurtz	....	composer: theme music (126 episodes, 1984-1990)
Michael Jacobs	....	composer: theme music (125 episodes, 1984-1990)
Timothy Thompson	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Kit Wilkinson	....	script supervisor (52 episodes, 1987-1988)
Lee Aronsohn	....	story consultant / executive story consultant (28 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)
Patricia Zakarian	....	assistant to producer (6 episodes, 1985-1988)
Dennis Capps	....	stage manager (5 episodes, 1987-1988)
Lonnie Steinberg	....	stage manager (4 episodes, 1984)
Kenneth R. Shapiro	....	technical director (3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Rick Edwards	....	technical director (2 episodes, 1984-1988)
Mary Hardwick	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1987)
Adrienne Armstrong	....	executive script consultant (2 episodes, 1988)
Mitzi McCall	....	executive script consultant (2 episodes, 1988)
Marc Sheffler	....	executive story consultant (2 episodes, 1988)
Steven Stark	....	production consultant (2 episodes, 1988)
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:

Charles's last name is never mentioned on the show - in fact, sometimes the writers went out of their way to avoid mentioning his (or his mother's) surname.

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 Frank McKlusky, C.I. (2002)

Why isn't this great show on Tv Land

This show only airs early Satuday and Sunday moring (in less it is in diffrent in your area) at 4:00-5:00 on Nick. Only two actors were on this series the whole run, and they are Scott Baio and Willie Aames. The actors that were on the series bewteen 1984-1985 are, Julie Cobb, April Lerman, Michael Pearlman, Jennifer Runyon, Jonathan Ward and James Widdoes. Everbody elese except Erika Elkeniak and Justin Whalin started in 1987 and went until the series end in 1990. Charles (Scott Baio) is a college student, who is in charge of the Powells and at at least one other family in the whole series run. And his best friend is Buddy Lembeck (Willie Aames) who is aslo a college student. The Powells are Walter (James T. Callahan), Sara (Josie Davis), Jaime (Nicole Eggert), Ellen (Sandra Kerns), and Adam (Alexander Polinsky). Ellen Travolta came in 1987 playing Charles' mom Lillian who even buys her son's favorite hang out place, Sid's pizzeria. Tv Land please add this show to your line up. If you have never watched this series please watch you will not be sorry. 10/10