Custard Pie (TV series)

Custard Pie is a Canadian situation comedy television series which aired on CBC Television in 1977.

Custard Pie
Genresituation comedy
Directed byPerry Rosemond
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
Production
ProducerPerry Rosemond
Running time30 minutes
Release
Original networkCBC Television
Original release20 September (1977-09-20) –
27 December 1977 (1977-12-27)

The Rimshots pilot

This series began as The Rimshots, a pilot directed and produced by Perry Rosemond and directed by George Bloomfield. It starred Second City Television cast members Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, and Dave Thomas with Saul Rubinek. Its plot concerned a household of performing artists who expected to perform at the O'Keefe Centre, only to find their concert cancelled. They accept a gig at a Hungarian venue instead, dealing with the challenges of an audience who did not understand their language.

CBC management approved a series run, however most of the cast, still committed to their work on Second City Television, demanded various controls over the production, scheduling and creative content. CBC's Drama department proceeded to select a new cast, retitle the series to Custard Pie, and record on videotape rather than on film as was done for the pilot.[1][2]

Series premise

In the series, the four members of a comedy team are roommates in a house. Leo Strauss (Peter Kastner) functioned as the troupe's manager. Another team member, Sheila Ann Murphy (Kate Lynch), wished to perform in more serious dramatic instead. Maggie Tucker (Nancy Dolman), besides being one of the performers, had a part-time job at Aldo Ludwit's (Les Carlson) gas station and eatery. Finally, Harvey Douglas (Derek McGrath) was owner of the team's only vehicle, a van. The troupe's landlady, Vicie DeMarco (Vivian Reis), was also a regular series character.[1]

Scheduling

This half-hour series was broadcast on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern) from 20 September to 27 December 1977. It was cancelled after its sole 13-week season amid negative critical reaction and the perceived inferiority of the series compared to its The Rimshots pilot episode.[2]

Further reading
  • Knelman, Martin (24 September 1977). "The Casting of Custard Pie". The Canadian. pp. 10–13.

References
  1. Corcelli, John (August 2005). "Custard Pie". Canadian Communications Foundation. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  2. Miller, Mary Jane (1987). Turn Up the Contrast - CBC Television Drama Since 1952. Vancouver: UBC Press / CBC Enterprises. pp. 144–145. ISBN 0-7748-0278-2.
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