Big Eddie

Big Eddie is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from August 23 until November 7, 1975.^[1] Its first three episodes, in a Saturday night time slot, did well in the ratings, but after it was moved to Friday nights, it had little success opposite Sanford and Son.^[2]

Big Eddie
Publicity photo of Sheldon Leonard, Sheree North, and Quinn Cummings in Big Eddie
Created by	Bill Persky Sam Denoff
Written by	Roy Kammerman Sid Dorfman Simon Muntner Jerry Davis Jay Folb Richard Powell
Directed by	Hy Averback
Starring	Sheldon Leonard
Composer	Jonathan Wolff
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	10 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer	Hy Averback
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	30 minutes
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	August 23 (1975-08-23) – November 7, 1975 (1975-11-07)

Premise

Big Eddie Smith,^[3] a reformed mobster tries to go legit as the owner of the Big E Sports Arena^[1] in New York City.^[4] Smith's family included his wife Honey, granddaughter Ginger, and brother Jessie.^[3]

Cast

• Sheldon Leonard as Big Eddie Smith^[5]
• Sheree North as Honey Smith^[5]
• Quinn Cummings as Ginger Smith^[5]
• Billy Sands as Bang Bang Valentine^[5]
• Alan Oppenheimer as Jesse Smith^[5]
• Ralph Wilcox as Raymond McKay^[5]
• Lonnie Shorr as Too Late
• Milton Parsons as The Goniff
• Cliff Pellow as No Marbles

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	"Man of the Year"	Unknown	Unknown	August 23, 1975 (1975-08-23)
A reporter attempts to get the low-down on the checkered past of Eddie and his retinue.
2	"One Nation Invisible"	Unknown	Unknown	August 30, 1975 (1975-08-30)
To show how the law guarantees justice for everyone, Big Eddie helps his granddaughter sue the merchant who sold her a defective toy.
3	"Hello Poppa"	Unknown	Unknown	September 6, 1975 (1975-09-06)
An engaging young man from Italy claims that Eddie is the long-lost GI who married his mother-- and fathered him during World War II. Jack Carter, Cliff Norton, Ed Peck, and Ron Silver guest star.
4	"Too Many Grandmothers (a.k.a. One Grandmother Too Many)"	Unknown	Unknown	September 19, 1975 (1975-09-19)
Big Eddie is surprised by a visit from his first wife, a Hungarian aristocrat (Eva Gabor) who has the kind of designs not designed to please his current loving spouse.
5	"Who Am I?"	Unknown	Unknown	September 26, 1975 (1975-09-26)
Honey wrestles with an identity crisis-- and by Eddie with a marital crisis-- when she has to write a sociology class paper on "Who Am I?"
6	"Crashing Violet"	Unknown	Unknown	October 3, 1975 (1975-10-03)
A smitten Bang Bang persuades Eddie to hire a maid: the waitress (Alice Ghostley) who lost her job because she dropped a plate of beans on Bang Bang's head.
7	"Eddie Makes a Speech"	Unknown	Unknown	October 10, 1975 (1975-10-10)
A chum from Eddie's rough-and-tumble school days (Ron Feinberg) is now a high-school principal, and he'd like Eddie to say a few words to kids who are even rougher than they were.
8	"One of Our Red Shoes is Missing"	Unknown	Unknown	October 24, 1975 (1975-10-24)
The Smiths risk creating an international flap by harboring a Soviet dancer (Sandy Ignon) who wants to defect.
9	"Alone Together"	Unknown	Unknown	October 31, 1975 (1975-10-31)
With granddaughter Ginger off to a slumber party, the Smith's look forward to an undisturbed evening of champagne, caviar and romance. The only obstacle remaining is their live-in retainer Bang Bang.
10	"A Date with Eddie"	Unknown	Unknown	November 7, 1975 (1975-11-07)
Eddie is in the doghouse. After asking his granddaughter out on her first big date, he has to stand her up. Ronnie Schell guest stars as a clown.

Production

Bill Persky and Sam Denoff created the series^[6] and were Big Eddie's executive producers and writers. Hy Averback was the producer and director. It had three "sneak preview" broadcasts (August 23 - September 6, 1975) from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturdays. Ratings decreased after it was moved to 8 - 8:30 p.m. ET on Fridays beginning on September 19, 1975.^[5]

Episodes were recorded on videotape in front of a live audience using facilities at KTLA-TV.^[6]

Critical response

John J. O'Connor, in a review distributed by the New York Times Service, commented, ". . . to know Big Eddie is to loath it."^[7] The review implied that Eddie married Honey as a means of obtaining custody of his granddaughter, "who, for purposes of uncomplicated plotting, is conveniently orphaned."^[7] O'Connor commented that Eddie often shouted and that his speech was filled with pronunciations such as "'dat' for that, or 'foist' for first" and he added, "His black assistant (Ralph Wilcox) jive talks hysterically."^[7]

After watching four episodes, Lee Winfrey wrote in The Evening Sun, "The only thing large about Big Eddie is growing wonder as to why it is still on the air."^[8] The review added that "each week the plots grow more surpassingly stupid, the guest stars less interesting, and the whole show steadily more arthritic in pace."^[8] The title character was called "as dull as a reformed drunk" and the family's home life was summarized as "dull domesticity, just another unbelievable sitcom family, wrestling with piffling problems and pennywhistle crises."^[8]

References

1. Terrace, Vincent (1985). Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials. VNR AG. p. 45. ISBN 9780918432612. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
2. Hyatt, Wesley (2003). Short-Lived Television Series, 1948–1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops. McFarland. p. 238. ISBN 9780786414208. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
3. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 139. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
4. TV Guide. "Big Eddie Cast and Details". TV Guide. Retrieved 2013-01-16.
5. Hyatt, Wesley (January 20, 2003). Short-Lived Television Series, 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops. McFarland. p. 238. ISBN 978-0-7864-1420-8. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
6. Leszczak, Bob (November 16, 2012). Single Season Sitcoms, 1948-1979: A Complete Guide. McFarland. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-7864-6812-6. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
7. O'Connor, John J. (August 23, 1975). "'Big Eddie' is depressing". The Morning News. Delaware, Wilmington. p. 23. Retrieved June 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Winfrey, Lee (October 16, 1975). "'Eddie': Big Or Dull?". The Evening Sun. Maryland, Baltimore. KNI. p. 22. Retrieved June 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Big Eddie at IMDb
• Big Eddie at TV Guide
• Big Eddie at epguides.com