Charlie & Co.

*Charlie & Co.*
Charlie & Co.
	the cast of Charlie & Co. as pictured in the 1985 TV Guide Fall Preview issue
Also known as	Charlie & Company
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Allan Katz
Starring	Flip Wilson; Gladys Knight; Kristoff St. John; Fran Robinson; Jaleel White; Della Reese
Theme music composer	Merald "Bubba" Knight; Gladys Knight; Sam Dees
Opening theme	"Family", performed by Gladys Knight
Composer	Perry Botkin, Jr.
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	18 (1 unaired)
Production
Production locations	ABC Television Center, Los Angeles, California
Running time	30 minutes
Production companies	Allan Katz Productions; Bob Henry Productions; 20th Century Fox Television
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	September 18, 1985 –; May 16, 1986

Charlie & Co. (also known as Charlie & Company) is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 18, 1985 to May 16, 1986. Created by Allan Katz, the series stars Flip Wilson and Gladys Knight. Charlie & Co. is regarded as CBS's answer to The Cosby Show, which was a ratings success for NBC at the time.^[1] Unlike The Cosby Show, which ran for eight seasons, Charlie & Co. lasted only one.

Synopsis

The series follows a middle class African American family who lived on the South Side of Chicago.

Charlie Richmond (Flip Wilson) is a black middle-class employee of the Division of Highways, who juggled his work and home life with his wife, Diana, a schoolteacher played by Gladys Knight. The couple had three children: sixteen-year-old "Junior" (Kristoff St. John), fifteen-year-old Lauren (Fran Robinson), and nine-year-old Robert (Jaleel White). Della Reese joined the cast during the latter half of the first season as Charlie's sister-in-law, Aunt Rachel.

CBS cancelled the series in May 1986.^[2]

Cast

Flip Wilson as Charles "Charlie" Richmond
Gladys Knight as Diana Richmond
Kristoff St. John as Charlie "Junior" Richmond, Jr.
Fran Robinson as Lauren Richmond
Jaleel White as Robert Richmond
Della Reese as Aunt Rachel
Ray Girardin as Walter Simpson
Richard Karron as Milton Bieberman
Kip King as Ronald Sandler
Terence McGovern as Jim Coyle
Eddie Velez as Miguel Santana
Heidi Levine as Emily Coyle

Episodes

Nº	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	PC
1	"Pilot"	Alan Rafkin	Allan Katz	September 18, 1985 (1985-09-18)	6S79
Charlie is asked by Junior to speak at Career Day at his school. All is well until Charlie freezes up with a case of stage fright. Recording date: April 04, 1985
2	"Easy for You to Say"	Alan Rafkin	Michael Kagan	September 25, 1985 (1985-09-25)	6S01
Charlie faces difficult tasks on the home front: he has to cancel the family's camping trip due to work—and Lauren wants to discuss sex. Recording date: August 13, 1985
3	"Muggers or Us"	Alan Rafkin	Bill Richmond	October 2, 1985 (1985-10-02)	6S03
Charlie wants Diana to transfer to another school after there's an incident of vandalism at her school.
4	"Buddy, Can You Spare My Dime?"	Alan Rafkin	Gary Gilbert	October 9, 1985 (1985-10-09)	6S02
Charlie struggles to find the nerve to ask for the money his boss owes him, while the family struggles through Diana's nutrition campaign.
5	"The World According to Jim"	Alan Rafkin	Michael Kagan	October 16, 1985 (1985-10-16)	6S05
Charlie and Diana soon regret letting Charlie's co-worker move in during his marital spat. Recording date: September 17, 1985
6	"Like Father, Like Son"	Alan Rafkin	Monty Aidem and Gary Murphy	October 23, 1985 (1985-10-23)	6S06
Junior is sorely taxed by Charlie's sudden desire to be more of a pal than a father.
7	"Will Be Around"	Alan Rafkin	Gary Gilbert	October 30, 1985 (1985-10-30)	6S07
The children are upset when Charlie talks of making out a will following a brush with death. Recording date: October 08, 1985
8	"Operation Richmond"	Alan Rafkin	Gary Ferrier and Aubrey Tadman	November 6, 1985 (1985-11-06)	6S08
Just after the family decides to cut back on expenses, Charlie has to go into the hospital for an operation.
9	"Happy Anniversary... Sort Of"	Alan Rafkin	Allan Katz	November 13, 1985 (1985-11-13)	6S09
Charlie's behavior at a faculty party he and Diana attend threatens the celebration of their 20th anniversary.
10	"For the Love of Lauren"	Alan Rafkin	Bill Richmond	November 27, 1985 (1985-11-27)	6S10
A jilted Lauren thinks all men are jerks, until she attends a concert with a consoling Miguel, the ladies' man of Charlie's office.
11	"Who's Watching the Roads?"	Alan Rafkin	Bill Richmond	December 4, 1985 (1985-12-04)	6S04
Charlie's co-workers plan to take full advantage of their boss's absence, despite the fact that he left Charlie in charge. Recording date: September 10, 1985
12	"Silent Knight"	Alan Rafkin	Gary Gilbert	December 11, 1985 (1985-12-11)	6S12
Charlie's looking forward to spending Christmas with his family, but Junior and Lauren have other ideas.
13	"Beaus and Arrows"	Alan Rafkin	S : Allan Katz; T : Michael Kagan	December 25, 1985 (1985-12-25)	6S11
Diana's old college boyfriend returns. Recording date: November 12, 1985
14	"Here's Rachel"	Alan Rafkin	Allan Katz	January 28, 1986 (1986-01-28)	6S14
Della Reese joins the cast as Aunt Rachel.
15	"Rachel and the Stranger"	Alan Rafkin	Liz Sage	April 25, 1986 (1986-04-25)	6S17
After a burglary, Aunt Rachel is too scared to return alone to her apartment, so Diana volunteers Charlie to stay overnight with her.
16	"When You Least Expect It"	Alan Rafkin	Gary Gilbert	May 2, 1986 (1986-05-02)	6S16
The family knows that Diana has something on her mind, but she won't talk until she's sure—that she's pregnant.
17	"Don't Take My Son... Please"	Alan Rafkin	Bill Richmond	May 9, 1986 (1986-05-09)	6S15
Bored with school, Junior decides to join the Army.
18	"Rent and Rave"	Alan Rafkin	Gary Ferrier and Aubrey Tadman	May 16, 1986 (1986-05-16)	6S13
The Richmonds face a rent increase.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Result	Category	Recipient
1986	Young Artist Awards	Nominated	Best Young Supporting Actor in a New Television Series	Jaleel White
			Best Young Actress Starring in a New Television Series	Fran Robinson
			Best Young Actor Starring in a New Television Series	Kristoff St. John
			Best New Television Series - Comedy or Drama	-

References

^ "Blacks on TV: Tuning in to the New Season". Ebony. 40 (12). Johnson Publishing Company: 68–69. October 1985. ISSN 0012-9011.
^ "CBS Yanks 'Charlie & Co.', 'Trapper' In New Season". Jet. 70 (10). Johnson Publishing Company: 61. 1986-05-26. ISSN 0021-5996.