Night Court

This article is about the original 1984–1992 run. For the 2023 revival, see Night Court (2023 TV series).

Night Court is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 4, 1984, and ended on May 31, 1992, after nine seasons consisting of 193 episodes. The show is set in the night shift of a Manhattan Criminal Court presided over by a young, unorthodox judge, Harold "Harry" T. Stone (portrayed by Harry Anderson), and was created by comedy writer Reinhold Weege, who had previously worked on Barney Miller in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Night Court
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Reinhold Weege
Showrunners	Reinhold Weege (seasons 1-6) Gary Murphy Larry Strawther (both; season 7) Chris Cluess Stu Kreisman (both; seasons 8-9)
Starring	Harry Anderson Markie Post John Larroquette Charles Robinson Richard Moll Marsha Warfield Karen Austin Paula Kelly Selma Diamond Ellen Foley Florence Halop
Opening theme	Jack Elliott
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	9
No. of episodes	193 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Reinhold Weege Larry Strawther Gary Murphy Chris Cluess Stu Kreisman
Producers	Bob Stevens Nat Mauldin Linwood Boomer Tom Straw Kevin Kelton
Camera setup	Videotape; Multi-camera
Running time	23–24 minutes
Production companies	Starry Night Productions (1984–1989) (seasons 1–6) Warner Bros. Television
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	January 4, 1984 (1984-01-04) – May 31, 1992 (1992-05-31)
Related
Night Court (2023 TV series)

Cast

Main

• Harry Anderson as Judge Harold "Harry" T. Stone
• Karen Austin as court clerk Lana Wagner (season 1)
• Gail Strickland as public defender Sheila Gardner (pilot episode only)
• John Larroquette as assistant district attorney Reinhold Daniel "Dan" Fielding Elmore
• Paula Kelly as public defender Liz Williams (season 1)
• Richard Moll as bailiff Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon
• Selma Diamond as bailiff Selma Hacker (seasons 1–2)
• Ellen Foley as public defender Billie Young (season 2)
• Charles Robinson as court clerk Macintosh "Mac" Robinson (seasons 2–9)
• Markie Post as public defender Christine Sullivan (guest season 2, full time seasons 3–9)
• Florence Halop as bailiff Florence "Flo" Kleiner (née Nightingale) (season 3)
• Marsha Warfield as bailiff Rosalind "Roz" Russell (seasons 4–9)

Recurring

• Mike Finneran, as building superintendent/repairman Art Fensterman
• Martin Garner, as newsstand owner Bernie (seasons 1–3)
• Terry Kiser, as tabloid courtroom reporter Al Craven (seasons 1–2)
• Jason Bernard, as Judge Willard
• Rita Taggart, as prostitute/frequent defendant Carla Bouvier (seasons 1–2)
• Denice Kumagai, as Mac's wife Quon Le Duc Robinson (seasons 2–9)
• John Astin, as Harry's step (later revealed to be birth) father Buddy Ryan (seasons 3–9)
• Mel Tormé, as himself
• William Utay, as vagrant/Dan's errand boy Phil Sanders (seasons 3–7), and Phil's corrupt twin brother Will (seasons 8–9 after the character of Phil was killed off)
• Brent Spiner and Annie O'Donnell as frequent defendants Bob and June Wheeler
• Leslie Bevis, as Dan's periodic lover Sheila
• Yakov Smirnoff, as Russian immigrant Yakov Korolenko
• Eugene Roche, as Christine's father Jack Sullivan
• Daniel Frishman as District Attorney Vincent Daniels, Dan's tyrannical dwarf boss
• Bumper Robinson, as shoeshine boy Leon (season 5)
• Ray Abruzzo, as NYPD detective/Christine's husband Tony Giuliano (seasons 7–8)
• Mary Cadorette, as reporter/Harry's girlfriend Margaret Turner (season 8)
• S. Marc Jordan, as newsstand owner Jack Griffin (seasons 8–9)
• Joleen Lutz, as court stenographer Lisette Hocheiser (seasons 8–9)
• Gilbert Gottfried, as prosecutor Oscar Brown (season 9)
• Florence Stanley, as Judge Margaret Wilbur

Casting

Selma Diamond died from lung cancer after the second season. Florence Halop was hired to replace Diamond as the new bailiff, but she was also a heavy smoker and similarly developed lung cancer and died after she completed filming season three. She was replaced by Marsha Warfield, who played bailiff Roz Russell until the series ended in 1992.^[1]

In 1984, Shelley Hack was hired to replace Paula Kelly and portray new public defender Christine Sullivan—who was going to be romantically involved with Judge Harry Stone (Harry Anderson). But during rehearsals, Hack and producer Reinhold Weege realized there was a problem. "What happened was the role was changed, Instead of being a funny lady, as she was in the reading, they had changed her into a straight woman. It wasn't working, The concept just didn't work and that's what I told them...What's the point if it's not working?" Hack and the producer mutually and amicably agreed she would not continue with the series.  Ellen Foley was brought in for season two as a new character, public defender Billie Young. For episode 2 of season 2 (as a guest, in what was meant to be the season 2 premiere)–and from season 3 onwards (as a regular cast member)—Markie Post was hired to portray Christine Sullivan.

Theme music

Every episode of Night Court opens (after a cold open) and closes with a jazz-influenced, bass-heavy theme tune composed by Jack Elliott, featuring Ernie Watts on saxophone while featuring video footage of prominent New York City landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the New York County Courthouse.

Night Court's theme was used in the season-5 Family Guy episode "Bill & Peter's Bogus Journey", featuring animations of former US President Bill Clinton playing saxophone along with Secret Service musicians playing backup.

Night Court's theme was sampled for the remix to Cam'Ron's 1998 single "Horse & Carriage". It was produced by Darrell "Digga" Branch and featured Big Pun, Charli Baltimore, Wyclef Jean, and Silkk the Shocker.

Following the end credits theme music, a distinctive laugh can be heard dubbed over the vanity logo displaying producer Reinhold Weege's "Starry Night Productions".^[2] This same laugh can be heard coming from the studio audience throughout numerous seasons of Night Court. At first it was thought to be the canned laugh of voice actor Mel Blanc or even star Harry Anderson; but in fact, it was the laugh of Chuck Weege, Reinhold's father, who attended nearly all of the tapings in person (until Reinhold left the show after the sixth season).^{[citation needed]}

Episodes

Main article: List of Night Court episodes

Season	Episodes		Originally released		Rank	Rating
			First released	Last released
1	13		January 4, 1984 (1984-01-04)	May 31, 1984 (1984-05-31)	41	12.7
2	22		September 27, 1984 (1984-09-27)	May 9, 1985 (1985-05-09)	20	17.6
3	22		September 26, 1985 (1985-09-26)	May 8, 1986 (1986-05-08)	11	20.9
4	22		October 2, 1986 (1986-10-02)	May 6, 1987 (1987-05-06)	7	23.2
5	22		September 17, 1987 (1987-09-17)	May 12, 1988 (1988-05-12)	7	20.8
6	22		October 26, 1988 (1988-10-26)	May 3, 1989 (1989-05-03)	21	16.9
7	24		September 27, 1989 (1989-09-27)	May 2, 1990 (1990-05-02)	28	14.5[a]
8	24		September 28, 1990 (1990-09-28)	May 8, 1991 (1991-05-08)	50	11.5
9	22		September 18, 1991 (1991-09-18)	May 31, 1992 (1992-05-31)	46	12.0

Awards and honors

Night Court received a number of awards and nominations. Both Selma Diamond (in 1985) and John Larroquette (in 1988) earned Golden Globe nominations, but lost to Faye Dunaway and Rutger Hauer, respectively. Paula Kelly was nominated for an Emmy after the first season. Larroquette won four consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series from 1985 to 1988, before he withdrew his name from the ballot in 1989. Selma Diamond was nominated in 1985, and Anderson received three nominations in 1985, 1986, and 1987. The series received three nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1985, 1987, and 1988. The series also received many awards and nominations in the areas of lighting, editing, sound mixing, and technical direction. The show was nominated for 31 Emmys, winning seven.

American Comedy Awards
Year	Category / Episode	Recipient / Nominee	Results	Ref
1990	Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a Television Series	John Larroquette	Nominated	[3]
Casting Society of America
Year	Category / Episode	Recipient / Nominee	Results	Ref
1985	Best Casting for TV, Comedy Episodic	Eileen Mack Knight	Nominated	[4]
1986		Gilda Stratton	Won	[5]
1987		Harriet B. Helberg	Nominated	[6]
Creative Arts Emmy Awards
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1984	Outstanding Costumes in a Series ("Welcome Back, Mam")	Barbara Murphy	Nominated	[7]
	Outstanding Lighting for a Series ("Bull's Baby")	John Appleroth	Nominated
1985	Outstanding Lighting for a Series ("Billie's Valentine")	John Appleroth	Nominated
	Outstanding Lighting for a Series ("Bull Gets a Kid")	Mark Buxbaum	Nominated
	Outstanding Videotape Editing for a Series ("The Blizzard")	Jerry Davis	Nominated
1986	Outstanding Costumes in a Series ("Halloween, Too")	Dan Frank, Molly Harris Campbell	Nominated
	Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Series ("Hurricane")	Jerry Davis	Nominated
	Outstanding Lighting for a Series ("Leon We Hardly Knew Ye")	George Spiro Dibie	Nominated
1987	Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Series ("Her Honor – Part 1")	Jerry Davis	Won
	Outstanding Costumes in a Series ("A Day in the Life")	Dan Frank, Molly Harris Campbell	Nominated
1988	Outstanding Lighting for a Series ("Constitution – Part 2")	George Spiro Dibie	Nominated
1989	Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special ("The Last Temptation of Mac")	Klaus Landsberg, Allen Patapoff, Craig Porter	Won
	Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video for a Series ("Yet Another Day in the Life")	Rocky Danielson, Robert G. Holmes, Leigh V. Nicholson, John Repczynski, Thomas G. Tcimpidis, Jeffrey Wheat	Won
	Outstanding Lighting for a Comedy Series ("Danny Got His Gun – Part 3")	Robert Berry	Nominated
1990	Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video for a Series ("Come Back To the Five and Dime, Stephen King")	Rick Caswell, Rocky Danielson, Robert G. Holmes, Leigh V. Nicholson, Thomas G. Tcimpidis, Jeffrey Wheat	Nominated
1991	Outstanding Lighting for a Comedy Series ("Hey Harry", "F' Cryin' Out Loud", "It's A Wonderful Like..Sorta")	Charles L. Barbee	Nominated
1992	Outstanding Lighting for a Comedy Series ("A Guy Named Phantom – Part 1")	Charles L. Barbee	Nominated
	Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video for a Series ("A Guy Named Phantom – Part 2")	Robert Bonas, Rick Caswell, Rocky Danielson, Robert G. Holmes, Tom Tcimpidis, Jeffrey Wheat	Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1985	Best Supporting Actress — Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television	Selma Diamond	Nominated	[8]
1988	Best Supporting Actor — Series, Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television	John Larroquette	Nominated
Online Film & Television Association
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
2013	Television Programs — Hall of Fame	Night Court	Won	[9]
Primetime Emmy Awards
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1984	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	Paula Kelly	Nominated	[7]
1985	Outstanding Comedy Series	Night Court	Nominated
	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Harry Anderson	Nominated
	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series ("Dan's Parents or Married Alive")	John Larroquette	Won
	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	Selma Diamond	Nominated
1986	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Harry Anderson	Nominated
	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series ("Best of Friends")	John Larroquette	Won
1987	Outstanding Comedy Series	Night Court	Nominated
	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Harry Anderson	Nominated
	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series ("Dan's Operation")	John Larroquette	Won
1988	Outstanding Comedy Series	Night Court	Nominated
	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series ("No Hard Feelings")	John Larroquette	Won
Television Critics Association Awards
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1985	Outstanding Achievement in Comedy	Night Court	Nominated
Writers Guild of America Award
Year	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
1985	Episodic Comedy ("Once in Love with Harry")	Reinhold Weege	Nominated	[10]
1987	Episodic Comedy ("Best of Friends")	Howard Ostroff	Nominated	[11]
1988	Episodic Comedy ("Contempt of Courting")	Tom Straw	Nominated	[12]
1989	Episodic Comedy ("No Hard Feelings")	Tom Straw	Nominated	[13]

Syndication

United States

After its primary run in broadcast syndication, the series aired on A&E Network for many years. It then aired on TV Land from 2005 to 2008, then began airing on Encore Classic on December 2, 2013. From 2016 to 2022, the show aired on Laff.^[14]

As of March 2023, the series airs on the Weigel Broadcasting owned Catchy Comedy network weeknights.^[15] The series was also the subject of Catchy Comedy's inaugural weekend "Catchy Binge" on April 1–2, 2023. Since June 2024, it is now also broadcast on IFC,^[16] usually airing in marathons on Mondays and Tuesdays, and sometimes an episode or two is shown in the early mornings on weekends.

Australia

Network Ten first broadcast the series in the 1980s and 1990s. 7TWO began showing reruns in June 2011. Reruns are currently being shown on Foxtel Comedy Channel. ^{[citation needed]}

Canada

Aired weekdays on both Comedy Gold and JoyTV.^{[citation needed]}

Germany

Sat.1 aired the series as Harry's wundersames Strafgericht (Harry's Miraculous Criminal Court) in 1988.^{[citation needed]}

Italy

Italia 1 aired the show as Giudice di notte (Night Judge) from 1986 until 1988.^{[citation needed]}

Spain

TVE aired the show as Juzgado de Guardia (Court on Duty/Call).^{[citation needed]}

New Zealand

The show screened weekly on TVNZ 1 in the 1980s and 1990s, and was rerun in the late 1990s.^{[citation needed]}

Home media

Warner Home Video released the first three seasons on DVD in Region 1. Seasons 4–9 were released as Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) DVDs as part of the Warner Archive Collection.^[17]

On June 13, 2023, Warner Bros. (through Studio Distribution Services) released Night Court: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1.^[18]

DVD Name	Ep. #	Release Date
The Complete First Season[19]	13	February 8, 2005
The Complete Second Season[20]	22	February 3, 2009
The Complete Third Season[21]	22	February 23, 2010
The Complete Fourth Season[22]	22	March 1, 2011 (Amazon.com) September 1, 2011 (WBShop.com)
The Complete Fifth Season[23]	22	October 25, 2011
The Complete Sixth Season[24]	22	June 26, 2012
The Complete Seventh Season[25]	24	November 6, 2012
The Complete Eighth Season[26]	24	January 29, 2013
The Complete Ninth Season[27]	22	June 11, 2013
The Complete Series[28]	193	June 13, 2023

Special releases

DVD Name	Release Date	Ep. #
Television Favorites	February 28, 2006	6

The Television Favorites compilation DVD included the pilot episode, "All You Need Is Love"; both parts of the fourth-season finale, "Her Honor"; the fifth-season episodes "Death of a Bailiff" and "Who Was That Mashed Man?"; and the sixth-season episode "Fire", which marked the beginning of Harry's relationship with Christine.

Harry Anderson, Markie Post, and Charles Robinson appeared in the 30 Rock episode, "The One with the Cast of Night Court". John Larroquette is also mentioned; Harry says he had just spoken to John, which annoys Markie (who has not had recent contact with her absent former co-star) and begins an argument between them that lasts for most of the story.

Sequel series

Main article: Night Court (2023 TV series)

In December 2020, NBC announced it was working on a sequel series to Night Court. The show is executive produced by Melissa Rauch and Winston Rauch, with Dan Rubin writing. Larroquette returned as Fielding, while the show's central character—played by Melissa Rauch—is Abby Stone, a judge and the daughter of Harry Stone. The show is produced by Warner Bros. Television Studios for NBC.^[29] In April 2021, it was reported that Rauch would also star in the series as Abby Stone.^[30] In May 2021, it was announced that NBC had given a pilot order to a sequel series.^[31] In June 2021, Ana Villafañe joined the cast for the pilot, portraying an Assistant District Attorney and Lacretta plays a bailiff Donna "Gurgs" Gurganous.^[32][33] In July 2021, Kapil Talwalkar joined the cast for the pilot, playing a court's clerk Neil.^[34] In September 2021, it was announced that NBC had given the production a series order.^[35] In February 2023, it was announced that following the strong reception of the first four episodes, NBC had ordered a full second season of the show.^[36] A third season of the revival series would then premiere on November 19, 2024.^[37]

Notes

1. Tied with The Simpsons and Doogie Howser, M.D..

References

1. Littleton, Darryl (2008). Black Comedians on Black Comedy: How African-Americans Taught Us to Laugh. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 237. ISBN 978-1-55783-680-9.
2. Night Court. End Credit Theme. TRshow. "Starry Night Productions".
3. "American Comedy Awards, USA (1990)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
4. "1985 Artios Awards". www.castingsociety.com. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
5. "1986 Artios Awards". www.castingsociety.com. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
6. "1987 Artios Awards". www.castingsociety.com. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
7. "NIGHT COURT". Television Academy. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
8. "Night Court". www.goldenglobes.com. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
9. "Online Film & Television Association (2013)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
10. "Writers Guild of America, USA (1985)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
11. "Writers Guild of America, USA (1987)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
12. "Writers Guild of America, USA (1988)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
13. "Writers Guild of America, USA (1989)". IMDb. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
14. Night Court is Back in Session: LAFF - The Nation's First Comedy-Driven Broadcast Television Network - To Add Popular Series on Jan 4, 2016 - PR Newswire.com
15. Weigel Broadcasting‘s Decades Network Will Flip to Sitcom-Centric ‘Catchy Comedy’ in March, Led by Original ‘Night Court’ - Variety.com
16. "TV Schedule Lineup | Listing of Shows & Movies for Today | IFC". www.ifc.com. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
17. "Night Court DVD news: Announcement for Night Court – The Complete 9th Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013.
18. Night Court: The Complete Series
19. "Night Court: The Complete First Season". DVDEmpire.
20. "Night Court: The Complete Second Season". DVDEmpire.
21. "Night Court: The Complete Third Season". DVDEmpire.
22. "Night Court: The Complete Fourth Season". www.WBShop.com.
23. "Night Court: The Complete Fifth Season". www.WBShop.com.
24. "Night Court: The Complete Sixth Season". www.WBShop.com.
25. "Night Court: The Complete Seventh Season". www.WBShop.com.
26. "Night Court: The Complete Eighth Season (MOD) |". www.WBShop.com. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
27. "Night Court: The Complete Ninth Season (MOD) |". www.WBShop.com. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
28. "Night Court: The Complete Ninth Season (MOD) |". www.amazon.com. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
29. Andreeva, Nellie (December 16, 2020). "'Night Court' Sequel In Works At NBC With John Larroquette As Dan Fielding, Harry Stone's Daughter As Focus & Melissa Rauch As EP". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
30. Andreeva, Nellie (April 30, 2021). "'Night Court': EP Melissa Rauch Set To Star With John Larroquette In Sequel At NBC". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
31. Andreeva, Nellie (May 3, 2021). "'Night Court' Sequel Starring Melissa Rauch & John Larroquette Gets NBC Pilot Order". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
32. Andreeva, Nellie (June 8, 2021). "'Night Court': Ana Villafañe Joins NBC Sequel Pilot". Deadline Hollywood.
33. Andreeva, Nellie (June 16, 2021). "'Night Court': Lacretta Joins NBC Sequel Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
34. Andreeva, Nellie (July 7, 2021). "'Night Court': Kapil Talwalkar Joins NBC Sequel Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
35. White, Peter (September 24, 2021). "'Night Court' Sequel Starring Melissa Rauch & John Larroquette Lands Series Order At NBC". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
36. Cordero, Rosy (February 2, 2023). "'Night Court' Renewed For Season 2 At NBC". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
37. Omotade, Lade (November 20, 2024). "'Night Court's Wendie Malick Teases Season 3 Will Explore Julianne's Background". Collider. Retrieved November 20, 2024.

External links

• Night Court at IMDb