Tammy
Star of Tammy, Debbie Watson
GenreSitcom
Written byRobert V. Barron
Cid Ricketts Sumner
Directed byLeslie Goodwins
Sidney Miller
StarringDebbie Watson
Denver Pyle
Donald Woods
Dorothy Green
Theme music composerJay Livingston
Ray Evans
Opening theme"Tammy"
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes26
Production
ProducerDick Wesson
Production locationsUniversal Studios, Universal City, California, United States
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companiesUni-Bet Productions
Universal Television
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 17, 1965 (1965-09-17) –
March 11, 1966 (1966-03-11)
Related
Tammy and the Millionaire

Tammy is an American sitcom, starring Debbie Watson in the title role. Produced by Universal City Studios,[1] 26 color half-hour episodes were aired on ABC from September 17, 1965, to March 11, 1966.

Tammy was loosely based on the three Tammy films; Tammy and the Bachelor (1957) starring Debbie Reynolds; Tammy Tell Me True (1961); and Tammy and the Doctor (1963) both starring Sandra Dee.[2] The films themselves were adaptations of novels by Cid Ricketts Sumner. The series was also partially influenced by other rural-themed TV sitcoms such as The Beverly Hillbillies.[3] In particular, there are similarities between Tammy's Cletus Tarleton and The Beverly Hillbillies' Jethro Bodine.

Synopsis

The premise of the program revolves around Tammy Tarleton, an 18-year-old country girl who moves back and forth between her country family, which lives on a bayou houseboat, and the wealthy Brents, who own a plantation and pancake business. Tammy is hired as a secretary by a powerful industrialist with a handsome young son named Steven. Lavinia Tate, a high society neighbor wants her own daughter, Gloria, to marry Steven, so she repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, tries to smear Tammy’s reputation.[2]

As with Gidget, there are many differences between the series and films that inspired it. In the films, Tammy's full name is Tambrey Tyree, shortened to Tammy. The name Tyree was changed to Tarleton. Also, Tammy Tyree had no family other than her grandfather, who was occasionally picked up by revenuers for fabricating "corn-likker".

Tammy lasted for one season (26 episodes), and was cancelled in 1966.

Main cast

Episodes

Tammy and Cousin Cletus.
Nº Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Tammy Leaves Home"Sidney MillerGeorge TibblesSeptember 17, 1965 (1965-09-17)
Tammy is in trouble when she's tricked into inviting her riverfolk relatives to a white-tie affair.
2"The Aristocratic Tates"Jerry ParisGeorge TibblesSeptember 24, 1965 (1965-09-24)
Tammy is scorned by Lavinia Tate as not well-born for her son until the Tate kinfolk arrive.
3"Tammy Plays Cupid"Jerry ParisGeorge Carleton Brown & Frank Gill Jr.October 1, 1965 (1965-10-01)
Tammy tries to bring romance into her grandfather's life.
4"The Poker Game"Gene NelsonDavid Braverman & Bob MarcusOctober 8, 1965 (1965-10-08)
Uncle Lucius insists on joining a high-stakes poker game with a man who has vowed to get even with him.
5"The Tarleton Land Grant"Sidney MillerGeorge TibblesOctober 15, 1965 (1965-10-15)
Lavinia Tate is planning on taking the Tarleton property for back taxes until Grandpa finds an ancient document.
6"Prophet and Loss"Sherman MarksRobert V. Barron & Jack MarloweOctober 22, 1965 (1965-10-22)
Lavinia Tate's stock investments are affected by the prophecy of Tammy's Aunt Hannah.
7"Will the Real Dwayne Whitt Please Stand Up?"Sherman MarksStory by : Ben Starr
Teleplay by : Gail Ingram & Ben Starr		October 29, 1965 (1965-10-29)
With an assist from Tammy, Dwayne gets a writing assignment, and weekends at the houseboat to absorb the authentic atmosphere.
8"Still Waters"Tom MontgomeryPaul David & John L. GreeneNovember 5, 1965 (1965-11-05)
Tammy's visiting Uncle Cully takes a job as a gardener to John Brent after he's warned to stay away from stills.
9"Mind Your Manners"Sherman MarksStory by : Dorothy Cooper
Teleplay by : Dorothy Cooper and Frank Gill, Jr. & George Carleton Brown		November 12, 1965 (1965-11-12)
When Lavinia Tate learns that Tammy has organized a surprise birthday party for John Brent, she decides to take over the event as hostess.
10"Grandpa's Old Flame"Ezra StoneGene ThompsonNovember 19, 1965 (1965-11-19)
Grandpa learns that his former fiancee is coming to see him based on her impression that he is rich.
11"The Riverfyin' of Billy Joe Morgan"Leslie GoodwinsSam Locke & Joel RappNovember 26, 1965 (1965-11-26)
Tammy and Steven Brent are left in charge of an obstreperous young house guest.
12"Grandpa's Secret Love"UnknownUnknownDecember 3, 1965 (1965-12-03)
Since Grandpa's new dog is a secret, John and Dwayne think his endearments are meant for a pretty girl entering the houseboat.
13"Cletus Comes Callin'"UnknownUnknownDecember 10, 1965 (1965-12-10)
The stranger Grandpa rescues from the river turns out to be Tammy's wheeler-dealer cousin.
14"The Enoch Bowl"Sherman MarksStory by : Stuart Jerome
Teleplay by : William Raynor & Myles Wilder		December 17, 1965 (1965-12-17)
The Tarleton mule quits eating when an antique collector makes off with his bowl.
15"A Severe Case of Matrimony"UnknownUnknownDecember 24, 1965 (1965-12-24)
Lavinia uses her handsome cousin to make Tammy look like a giddy youngster.
16"T' Know Me Is T' Love Me"UnknownUnknownDecember 31, 1965 (1965-12-31)
Cletus discovers oil seeping from the ground and predicts the Tarleton's will be millionaires.
17"The Law and Mr. Tarleton"Paul HarrisonWilliam Raynor & Myles WilderJanuary 7, 1966 (1966-01-07)
Amos Potts tickets the Tarleton mule for illegal parking.
18"Lavinia's Wedding Day"Charles RondeauBen Starr & George TibblesJanuary 14, 1966 (1966-01-14)
Tammy and Cletus arrange Lavinia's nuptials with the wrong bridegroom.
19"Two for Tee Pee"UnknownUnknownJanuary 21, 1966 (1966-01-21)
An Indian chief arrives to make Cletus keep a promise and marry his daughter.
20"Blue Nose, Wet Nose"UnknownUnknownJanuary 28, 1966 (1966-01-28)
Lavinia Tate goes all out to have her ill-behaved poodle defeat her rival's dog at obedience trials.
21"The Monster from Catfish Bend"Sherman MarksWilliam Raynor & Myles WilderFebruary 4, 1966 (1966-02-04)
Cousin Cletus battles to land Big Luke, a 300-pound catfish.
22"Larnin' Works Wonders"UnknownUnknownFebruary 11, 1966 (1966-02-11)
To keep his teaching credentials, Dwayne Whitt holds classes on Grandpa's houseboat.
23"Tammy Goes to Paris"UnknownUnknownFebruary 18, 1966 (1966-02-18)
Lavinia invites herself and Gloria along on John Brent's trip to France.
24"The Cinemazation of Tammy Tarleton"Charles R. RondeauSam Locke & Joel RappFebruary 25, 1966 (1966-02-25)
Tammy is chosen to act in a TV commercial, but Lavinia plots to get the assignment for her daughter Gloria.
25"Uncle Lucius Returns"Sherman MarksStory by : Ben Starr
Teleplay by : Ben Starr & Andre Stojka		March 4, 1966 (1966-03-04)
Grandpa Tarleton and his brother Lucius quarrel bitterly at their reunion.
26"Uncle Lucius, the Business Man"Earl BellamyGail Ingram & Mort GreenMarch 11, 1966 (1966-03-11)
The Tarletons enter Beulah, a cow that only gives milk when Uncle Lucius sings her favorite song, in a milking contest.

Tammy and the Millionaire

In 1967, Universal Pictures released a cinema movie called Tammy and the Millionaire which included all the main TV cast (except Cletus Tarleton) and was, in fact, a re-edit from four half-hour 1965 Tammy TV episodes.[4]

International airings

Tammy was originally broadcast in several countries, including Japan, Germany, and Australia. The Tammy series was especially popular in Germany.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Vincent LoBrutto, TV in the USA, A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas (3 volumes), page 314, ABC-CLIO, 2018
  2. 1 2 Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946 – Present, 1st Edition, page 612, Ballantine Books, 1979
  3. ↑ Michele Hilmes, Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States, page 199, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, 2002
  4. ↑ Leonard Maltin, Leonard Maltin’s TV Movies Video Guide, 1991 Edition, page 1143, Plume, 1990
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