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Rocky Road (TV series)

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Rocky Road
Created byArthur Annecharico
Directed byRuss Petranto
Lee Lochhead
Norman Abbott
Dick Harwood
Franklin Melton
Mel Ferber
Bonnie Franklin
StarringMaylo McCaslin
Desiree Boschetti
Georg Olden
Lilly Moon
Marcianne Warman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes71 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerArthur Annecharico
ProducersPatricia Fass Palmer
Gene Abravaya
Production locationsHollywood Center Studios, Los Angeles
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesThe Arthur Company
TBS Productions
Original release
NetworkSuperstation WTBS
ReleaseSeptember 2, 1985 (1985-09-02) –
June 26, 1987 (1987-06-26)

Rocky Road is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the Superstation WTBS cable network from September 2, 1985 to June 26, 1987. Produced by Arthur Annecharico, the series follows three young siblings who run a beach-front ice cream parlor, and originally aired on Monday nights as part of WTBS' line-up of original "family programming", which also included Down to Earth and Safe at Home. During its three-season run, the series underwent several cast changes and starred Maylo McCaslin, Desiree Boschetti, Georg Olden, Lilly Moon, and Marcianne Warman.[1][2][3][4][5]

Premise

[edit]
Main cast for season 3 of Rocky Road

The series centers on the three young Stuart siblings who live and work in a Pismo Beach boardwalk ice cream parlor that they inherit from their recently deceased parents. The Stuart kids – Jessica, the 22-year-old eldest and legal guardian of her two younger siblings; Robbie, the 17-year-old middle sibling and self-appointed "idea man"; and Cindi, the 12-year-old youngest sibling – somehow find a way keep the struggling ice cream parlor afloat with the help (and interference) of their neighbors on the beach.[2][3][5]

Jessica struggles to keep the family together while balancing a life of her own. Robbie is a typical teenager whose "bright ideas" have a tendency to backfire. And Cindi consistently finds adventures amidst a world of eccentric adults. Suzie Quartermain, the boardwalk's young lifeguard, is a fun-loving "party girl" whose antics always keep things interesting. Sandy Bradshaw, the boardwalk's police officer, is a bumbling young rookie who often finds himself in some mix-up. Lucas Buchanan, who owns the boardwalk's bait shop, watches over the Stuart kids and reminisces about the escapades of his younger days, before eventually selling the bait shop to retired Marine officer, Frank Wilson, Sr. and his teenage son, Frank, Jr.[2][3][5]

Characters

[edit]
  • Jessica Stuart (Maylo McCaslin, season 1; Desiree Boschetti, seasons 2–3)
  • Robbie Stuart (Georg Olden)
  • Cindi Stuart (Lilly Moon, season 1; Marcianne Warman, seasons 2–3)
  • Suzie Quartermain (Kelly Ann Conn)
  • Sandy Bradshaw (Jim Menza, seasons 1–2)
  • Lucas Buchanan (Lewis Arquette, seasons 1–2)
  • Frank Wilson, Sr. (Fred Morsell, season 3)
  • Frank Wilson, Jr. (Joey Green, season 3)[2][4][5]

Production

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Rocky Road was created by Arthur Annecharico and was produced by his production company The Arthur Company for TBS. An attempt at producing sitcoms on a budget, each episode of Rocky Road was estimated to cost $100,000 to produce, approximately ¼ the cost of network sitcoms of the time. The series was filmed at Hollywood Center Studios in Los Angeles, California and premiered in its 7:05 pm time-slot on September 2, 1985 as part of TBS's Monday night line-up of its original shows Down to Earth (airing at 6:05 pm) and Safe at Home (airing at 6:35 pm) which, at the time, were both also produced by The Arthur Company.[1][2][3]

The theme song was penned and performed by melodic rocker Guthrie Govan.[6]

Episodes

[edit]

Season 1 (1985)

[edit]
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
11"Miss Boardwalk"UnknownBruce KaneSeptember 2, 1985 (1985-09-02)001
22"Handcuffed"UnknownJim RogersSeptember 9, 1985 (1985-09-09)002
33"The Great American Kiss Off"UnknownWarren S. MurraySeptember 16, 1985 (1985-09-16)003
44"Buried Treasure"UnknownSteven Long Mitchell & Craig W. Van SickleSeptember 23, 1985 (1985-09-23)004
55"The Formula"UnknownCecile Alch & Patricia NiedzialekSeptember 30, 1985 (1985-09-30)005
66"Knives Near the Water"UnknownBarry RubinowitzOctober 7, 1985 (1985-10-07)006
77"Sister Was a Centerfold"UnknownGordon MitchellOctober 14, 1985 (1985-10-14)007
88"Spellbound"UnknownMichael CassuttOctober 21, 1985 (1985-10-21)008
99"Curse"UnknownSusan Misty StewartOctober 28, 1985 (1985-10-28)009
1010"The Critic"UnknownWarren S. MurrayNovember 4, 1985 (1985-11-04)010
1111"Trading Spaces"UnknownAnn Elder & Toem PerewNovember 11, 1985 (1985-11-11)011
1212"You Make Me Feel So Young"UnknownJim RogersNovember 18, 1985 (1985-11-18)012
1313"Boardwalk Melody"UnknownBruce Kane & Warren S. MurrayNovember 25, 1985 (1985-11-25)013

Season 2 (1985–86)

[edit]
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
141"My Guy"UnknownBruce Kane & Warren S. MurrayDecember 2, 1985 (1985-12-02)014
152"The Creature That Ate the Boardwalk"UnknownTom SherohmanDecember 9, 1985 (1985-12-09)015
163"Sandy, She Wrote"UnknownCoslough JohnsonDecember 16, 1985 (1985-12-16)016
174"Suzie Claus Is Coming to Town"UnknownDawn Aldredge & Judith BustanyDecember 23, 1985 (1985-12-23)022
185"B. My Love"UnknownWarren S. MurrayDecember 30, 1985 (1985-12-30)019
196"The Exterminators"UnknownBruce Kane & Warren S. MurrayJanuary 6, 1986 (1986-01-06)017
207"The Buck Stops Here"UnknownCoslough JohnsonJanuary 13, 1986 (1986-01-13)023
218"Bully for You"UnknownRobert Gosnell & Susan KattJanuary 20, 1986 (1986-01-20)018
229"Big Sister Blues"UnknownShelly Landau & Jane GouldJanuary 27, 1986 (1986-01-27)020
2310"Mr. October"UnknownAdrienne Armstrong & Mitzi McCallFebruary 10, 1986 (1986-02-10)021
2411"Partners"UnknownJoe GlaubergFebruary 17, 1986 (1986-02-17)024
2512"The Big Two-three"UnknownKen SteeleFebruary 24, 1986 (1986-02-24)025
2613"Buchanan and Son"UnknownSusan Misty StewartMarch 3, 1986 (1986-03-03)026
2714"Tonsils"UnknownRoger GarrettMarch 10, 1986 (1986-03-10)027
2815"A Robbie Production"UnknownShelly Landau & Jane GouldMarch 17, 1986 (1986-03-17)028
2916"Hurricane"UnknownJim RogersMarch 24, 1986 (1986-03-24)029
3017"Two Tickets for Bruce"UnknownShelly Landau & Jane GouldApril 7, 1986 (1986-04-07)030
3118"The Oddest Couple"Russ PetrantoRobert UlinMay 5, 1986 (1986-05-05)036
3219"The Wrong Mr. Right"Russ PetrantoLen RichmondMay 12, 1986 (1986-05-12)037
3320"Real Men Eat Quiche"UnknownShelly Landau & Jane GouldMay 19, 1986 (1986-05-19)032
3421"Jessica's Old Flame"Franklin MeltonRobert Schlichting & Ronald KweskinMay 26, 1986 (1986-05-26)034
3522"Bicycle Thief"Dick HarwoodJoe GlaubergJune 2, 1986 (1986-06-02)038
3623"Dueling Dads"Norman AbbottDanny Morris & Robert GosnellJune 3, 1986 (1986-06-03)031
3724"Lucas' Nephew"Russ PetrantoTed BergmanJune 5, 1986 (1986-06-05)035
3825"Big Brother Is Watching"Bonnie FranklinJerry WinnickJune 6, 1986 (1986-06-06)039
3926"Jessica's Vacation"Norman AbbottLewis ArquetteJune 9, 1986 (1986-06-09)041
4027"Robbie's Inheritance"Lee LochheadRoger GarrettJune 11, 1986 (1986-06-11)033
4128"Misfortune Cookie"UnknownTed BergmanJune 12, 1986 (1986-06-12)042
4229"Jess, You Is My Mother Now"Mel FerberShelly Landau & Jane GouldJune 13, 1986 (1986-06-13)040

Season 3 (1986–87)

[edit]
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
431"Junior High School Confidential"Franklin MeltonGary Donzig & Steve PetermanSeptember 5, 1986 (1986-09-05)048
442"Fair Weather Friends"Russ PetrantoTed BergmanSeptember 12, 1986 (1986-09-12)050
453"Suzie Moves In"UnknownAl Gordon & Tom MooreSeptember 19, 1986 (1986-09-19)058
464"Rockin' Robbie"UnknownJohn VorhausSeptember 26, 1986 (1986-09-26)055
475"Bringing Up Baby"UnknownGary Donzig & Steve PetermanOctober 3, 1986 (1986-10-03)044
486"A Horse Is a Horse"Russ PetrantoWendy Graf & Lisa StostkyOctober 10, 1986 (1986-10-10)049
497"Fear of Flying"Russ PetrantoSheri Scharfer & Steve CriderOctober 17, 1986 (1986-10-17)051
508"Davey Jones' Locket"Lee LochheadLen Richmond & Sonja SteinbeckOctober 31, 1986 (1986-10-31)054
519"Jessica's College Roommate"UnknownLarry SpencerNovember 6, 1986 (1986-11-06)043
5210"Junk Food Junkie"UnknownRobert KeatsNovember 11, 1986 (1986-11-11)046
5311"Brain Bowl"Dick HarwoodJoe GlaubergNovember 12, 1986 (1986-11-12)047
5412"The New Lucas"Don BarnhartGene AbravayaNovember 19, 1986 (1986-11-19)052
5513"Love for Sale"Lee LochheadGary Donzig & Steve PetermanNovember 20, 1986 (1986-11-20)053
5614"Cindi's Identity Crisis"UnknownJeffrey DavisNovember 24, 1986 (1986-11-24)056
5715"Boardwalk Blues"UnknownGary Donzig & Steve PetermanNovember 26, 1986 (1986-11-26)057
5816"Credit Crunch"UnknownLen RichmondMarch 20, 1987 (1987-03-20)059
5917"Frank Wilson & Son"Russ PetrantoTed BergmanMarch 27, 1987 (1987-03-27)060
6018"Why Frank Senior Can't Read"UnknownJeffrey DavisApril 3, 1987 (1987-04-03)061
6119"Green Eyed Monster"UnknownSonja SteinbeckApril 10, 1987 (1987-04-10)062
6220"To Go or Not to Go"UnknownGary Donzig & Steve PetermanApril 17, 1987 (1987-04-17)063
6321"The Return of Jerry"UnknownSheri Scharfer & Steve CriderApril 24, 1987 (1987-04-24)064
6422"Moscow on the Boardwalk"UnknownGerry RenertMay 1, 1987 (1987-05-01)065
6523"Stuart's Folly"UnknownGeorge AtkinsMay 8, 1987 (1987-05-08)066
6624"Terms of Agreement"UnknownGene AbravayaMay 15, 1987 (1987-05-15)067
6725"Witness for the Persecution"UnknownSteve Chivers & Michael OltonMay 29, 1987 (1987-05-29)069
6826"Drinking Buddies"UnknownJohn VorhausJune 5, 1987 (1987-06-05)070
6927"Food for Thought"UnknownRon Colizzo & Laurel DelmarJune 12, 1987 (1987-06-12)071
7028"Bye, Bye, Jerry"UnknownSheri Scharfer & Steve CriderJune 19, 1987 (1987-06-19)072
7129"True Colors"UnknownGerry RenertJune 26, 1987 (1987-06-26)075

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Nominee Category Result Ref.
1986 Young Artist Award Georg Olden Best Young Actor in a Cable Series or Special Nominated [7]
1987 Young Artist Award Rocky Road Best Cable Series Nominated [8]
Young Artist Award Georg Olden Best Young Actor in a Cable Series or Special Nominated
Young Artist Award Devon Odessa Best Young Actress in a Cable Series or Special Nominated

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Author Co. makes cable comedies". The Madison Courier. Associated Press. June 4, 1985.
  2. ^ a b c d e John Carman (September 2, 1985). "Latest comedy has 'Rocky Road' to hoe on WTBS". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  3. ^ a b c d Charles Witbeck (August 29, 1986). "High quality TV seeks out low costs". The Times-News.
  4. ^ a b George Fergus. "'Rocky Road' – a titles and airdates guide". EpGuides.com. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d "Life's a thrill for 'Gorgeous Georg' Olden". Teen Idols Mania!. July 1986. p. 56. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  6. ^ "Guthrie Govan talks perfect practice, unimportant solos and the new Aristocrats album". 17 July 2019.
  7. ^ "8th Annual Youth In Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  8. ^ "9th Annual Youth In Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
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