The Queen & I (American TV series)

The Queen & I is an American television sitcom which aired on CBS from January 16 until April 3, 1969. It starred Larry Storch as a junior officer serving a once popular but now aging and run-down cruise ship, the Amsterdam Queen. When he finds out the new owners intend to sell the ship for scrap, he and the rest of the crew involve themselves a number of "get rich quick" schemes in an attempt to save their ship.[1]

The Queen & I
Also known asThe Queen and I
GenreComedy
Created byHoward Leeds
Written byArthur Julian
Laurence Marks
StarringLarry Storch
Billy De Wolfe
Dave Morick
Pat Morita
Chet Stratton
Carl Ballantine
Dave Willock
Reginald Owen
Liam Dunn
Barbara Stuart
Janet Clark
Natalie Masters
ComposerJerry Fielding
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13 (2 unaired)
Production
Executive producerBing Crosby
ProducerEdward H. Feldman
Running time30 minutes
Production companyBing Crosby Productions
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseJanuary 16 (1969-01-16) –
April 3, 1969 (1969-04-03)

Duffy's efforts to raise money often coincided with his gambling and other personal scams. He and the crew were opposed by first officer Oliver Nelson (Billy De Wolfe), the main antagonist, who was highly suspicious of Duffy's activities and often sought to put an end to them.[1]

History

Although Storch and De Wolfe were the main stars, the series had a strong supporting cast that included familiar character actors Liam Dunn, Dave Morick, Pat Morita (later of Happy Days), Chet Stratton, Carl Ballantine, and Dave Willock. Other supporting roles were played by British actor Reginald Owen and American television actresses Barbara Stuart, Janet Clark and Natalie Masters.[1]

First airing on January 16, 1969, The Queen & I was originally intended to replace the sitcom Blondie midway through the 1968–69 season. Although it received some positive reviews, including being featured on the covers of TV Times [2] and TV Magazine,[3] it failed to catch on with viewers and was canceled after 11 episodes (two episodes never aired). The series, however, served as a prelude to The Love Boat which debuted eight years later.[1]

Cast and characters

Episodes
No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Duffy's Cruise"Edward H. FeldmanLaurence Marks & Arthur JulianJanuary 16, 1969 (1969-01-16)
Duffy works out a super scheme to keep the ship afloat and its wacky crew members solvent.
2"The No Cruise-Cruise"Marc DanielsUnknownJanuary 23, 1969 (1969-01-23)
After losing $5,000 in a poker game, Duffy agrees to provide the winner with an all expenses paid trip in one of the luxury suites aboard the Amsterdam Queen.
3"The Promotion"UnknownLaurence MarksJanuary 30, 1969 (1969-01-30)
Duffy romances the commodore's secretary as he tries to get meddlesome First Officer Nelson promoted off the Amsterdam Queen and off his back.
4"Requiem for Becker"UnknownUnknownFebruary 6, 1969 (1969-02-06)
All hands conspire to hide Becker from his money-hungry wife ... but a whole new set of problems erupts when it's when it's assumed that the steward has been lost at sea.
5"Who's Holding the Bag?"UnknownUnknownFebruary 13, 1969 (1969-02-13)
Duffy and two smugglers are after First Officer Nelson's little black bag.
6"Duffy Against the Computer"UnknownUnknownFebruary 27, 1969 (1969-02-27)
Duffy tries to short circuit a computer that could show up the crew's incompetence.
7"Who Am I Talking To?"UnknownUnknownMarch 6, 1969 (1969-03-06)
8"My Karate Lies Over the Ocean"UnknownUnknownMarch 13, 1969 (1969-03-13)
To bolster the ego of the ship's cook, Duffy pays a karate champ to take a dive in a bout with him. The scheme works too well; the cook becomes an aficionado, and the Amsterdam Queen reverberates with athletic grunts.
9"Hossfeathers"UnknownUnknownMarch 20, 1969 (1969-03-20)
10"But to a Captain, Is He a Captain?"UnknownUnknownMarch 27, 1969 (1969-03-27)
Nelson's test run as captain of the Amsterdam Queen puts him on a collision course with Duffy and an old salt who remembers Nelson's World War II boners.
11"The Trousseau"UnknownUnknownApril 3, 1969 (1969-04-03)
Duffy promotes a highstakes shuffleboard match between Nelson and Kowalski. Object: providing a Japanese bride with a trousseau.
12"Don't Make Big Waves"TBDTBDUNAIRED
13"Kowalski of Harvard"TBDTBDUNAIRED

References
  1. "The Queen and I". US TV – QB VII to Quincy M.E. MemorableTV.com. 2007.
  2. Los Angeles Times. "The Queen and I." TV Times. 1 Jan. 1969.
  3. Sunday Herald Traveler. "Can Losers Win?: Larry Storch" TV Magazine. Jan. 1969.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.