The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer
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| The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer | |
 From left to right: Nibblet, Desmond Pfeiffer, Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln |
|
| Genre | Sitcom |
|---|---|
| Created by | Barry Fanaro Mort Nathan |
| Written by | Marc Abrams Mike Benson Bill Boulware Barry Fanaro Jim Gerkin Mort Nathan Brian Pollack Mert Rich |
| Directed by | Matthew Diamond |
| Starring | Chi McBride Dann Florek Christine Estabrook Max Baker Kelly Connell |
| Composer(s) | Rich Eames Scott Gale |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 9 (5 unaired) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Barry Fanaro Mort Nathan |
| Producer(s) | Marica Govons |
| Editor(s) | Mike Wilcox |
| Cinematography | George La Fountaine Sr. |
| Running time | 30 mins. (approx) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | UPN |
| Original run | October 5, 1998 – October 26, 1998 |
The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer is a short-lived American sitcom that aired on UPN in 1998. Before it was ever shown, the series set off a storm of controversy because of a perceived light-hearted take on the issue of American slavery.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Story
A black English nobleman named Desmond Pfeiffer (the "P" is not silent) is kidnapped by his enemies and sent to America on a slave ship. He eventually becomes President Abraham Lincoln's valet. In the show, he serves as the intelligent and erudite backbone of a Civil War-era White House populated by louts and drunkards.
[edit] Main characters
- Desmond Pfeiffer (Chi McBride) - Black English gentleman serving as President Lincoln's butler.
- Abraham Lincoln (Dann Florek) - 16th President of the United States.
- Mary Todd Lincoln (Christine Estabrook) - President Lincoln's wife.
- Nibblet (Max Baker) - Pfeiffer's assistant
- Ulysses S. Grant (Kelly Connell) - General of the United States Army.
[edit] Controversy
Before the series' premiere, several African American activist groups, including the Los Angeles area NAACP, protested against the premise of the series. On September 24, 1998, a protest against the series was held outside Paramount Studios. Five days later, UPN released a statement regarding the controversy and stated that the network planned on delaying the controversial pilot episode (which never aired) and would instead air an alternate episode in its place. The first episode of the series aired on October 5, 1998, ranking 116th out of 125 television programs for that week. Desmond Pfeiffer was removed from UPN's schedule on October 24 and, after airing one episode two days after being removed from UPN's lineup, was canceled.[2]
[edit] Episodes
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | "A.O.L.: Abe On-Line" | October 5, 1998 |
| 1-2 | "Up, Up and Away" | October 12, 1998 |
| 1-3 | "Saving Mr. Lincoln" | October 19, 1998 |
| 1-4 | "Once Upon a Mistress" | October 26, 1998 |
| 1-5 | Pilot | Never aired |
| 1-6 | "Pigeon English" | Never aired |
| 1-7 | "Kidnapped" | Never aired |
| 1-8 | "School Daze" | Never aired |
| 1-9 | "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" | Never aired |
[edit] References
- ^ Millner, Denene (1998-9-20). "A Racial TV Battle: Blacks Rip Sitcom About Lincoln Butler That Find Humor in Slavery". nydailynews.com. http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1998/09/30/1998-09-30_a_racial_tv_battle_blacks_ri.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-26.
- ^ "Q & A: The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer, Whodunnit?". tvobscurities.com. 2009-5-20. http://www.tvobscurities.com/category/q-and-a/. Retrieved on 2009-05-26.
[edit] External links
- The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer at the Internet Movie Database
- The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer at TV.com
- The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer at EpGuides.com
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