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The Nanny ''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish fashionista from Flushing, Queens, New York, who becomes the nanny of three chi ...
'' is an American television
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
which originally aired on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
from 1993 to 1999, starring
Fran Drescher Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader. She is known for her role as Fran Fine in the television sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993–1999), which she created and produ ...
as
Fran Fine ''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom which originally aired on CBS from 1993 to 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a fashion queen from Flushing, New York who becomes the nanny of three children from the New York/British high so ...
, a fashion queen from
Flushing, New York Flushing is a neighborhood in the north-central portion of the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is the fourth-largest central business district in New York City. Downtown Flushing is a major commercial and retail area, and the i ...
who becomes the nanny of three children from the New York/British high society.


Main characters


Fran Fine

Francine Joy "Fran" Sheffield (''
née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
'' Fine) is the series' nasal-voiced,
Bouffant A bouffant () is a type of puffy, rounded hairstyle characterized by hair raised high on the head and usually covering the ears or hanging down on the sides. Etymology The English word ''bouffant'' comes from the French ''bouffante'', from ...
-haired main character, portrayed by actress
Fran Drescher Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader. She is known for her role as Fran Fine in the television sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993–1999), which she created and produ ...
. Her character is bubbly, outgoing, and humorous but also caring and responsible of the kids and her job, and plays the mother figure for them. Fran frequently gets into trouble, but usually solves the problems herself through seemingly ridiculous antics or by relying on her street smarts. In the last season Fran and Maxwell have twins; a boy and a girl named Jonah and Eve. Also in the last episode Fran, Maxwell, Grace, along with Niles, C.C., Sylvia, Morty, Yetta, Val, and Fred move to California.


Early life

The youngest daughter of Sylvia and Morty Fine, Fran was raised in
Flushing, Queens Flushing is a neighborhood in the north-central portion of the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is the fourth-largest central business district in New York City. Downtown Flushing is a major commercial and retail area, and the ...
with her older sister Nadine. Her Jewish ancestors immigrated to the United States via
Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mi ...
, and anglicized their name to Fine. Fran does not know what their surname was before that. Fran and her best friend Val Toriello (
Rachel Chagall Rachel Chagall (born Rachel Levin) is an American actress, best known for roles as Gaby in the film '' Gaby: A True Story'' (1987), for which she was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama and as Val Toriello o ...
) attended Hillcrest High School. After graduating from high school in 1982, Fran attended
cosmetology Cosmetology (from Ancient Greek, Greek , ''kosmētikos'', "beautifying"; and , ''wiktionary:-logia, -logia'') is the study and application of beauty treatment. Branches of specialty include hairstyle, hairstyling, skin care, cosmetics, manicures/p ...
college while working as a foot model. She later worked in the bridal dress shop of her boyfriend, Danny, after being 'pre-engaged' for three-years. At the start of the series, Fran was dumped as girlfriend and employee by her boyfriend and resorted to selling cosmetics door-to-door.


Relationship with the Sheffield family

In the show's pilot episode, Fran arrives at the home of Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield (
Charles Shaughnessy Charles George Patrick Shaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy (born 9 February 1955) is a French actor. He is known for his roles on American television, including Shane Donovan on the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', and Maxwell Sheffield on th ...
), hoping to sell cosmetics. Patriarch Maxwell Sheffield happens to be in need of a nanny to take care of his three children: Margaret "Maggie" Sheffield, the oldest (
Nicholle Tom Nicholle Marie Tom is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Ryce Newton in ''Beethoven'' (1992), '' Beethoven's 2nd'' (1993), ''Beethoven'' (1994–1995), and as Maggie Sheffield on '' The Nanny''. She is also known for voicing ...
); the youngest, Grace "Gracie" (
Madeline Zima Madeline Zima (born September 16, 1985) is an American actress. She portrayed Grace Sheffield on the CBS sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993–1999), Mia Lewis on the Showtime comedy drama series ''Californication'' (2007–2011), and Gretchen Berg on ...
); and the somewhat bratty middle brother, Brighton ( Benjamin Salisbury). Max mistakenly thinks Fran has come to apply for the open nanny position. Fran decides to apply for the position and shows Mr. Sheffield her references, which are written in lipstick. Max ultimately realizes that Fran did not come there for the nanny position but he is desperate and hires Fran after she shows an aptitude with Maxwell's three high-maintenance children, who have driven away all previous nannies. Fran, with her nontraditional nurturing style and no-nonsense honesty, soon becomes a favorite with the kids as well as Maxwell, as they come to respect her opinions and love her as a person.


Romance

Regretting her past breakup with her boyfriend Danny, Fran often feels the need to date. Fran is desperate to find a soulmate and is often attracted to Jewish men. This compelling desire mainly comes from the obsessive, overbearing nature of her mother, Sylvia, who often nags Fran about the subject of marriage. As she continues to work for Mr. Sheffield, Fran develops many fantasies about being romantically and sexually involved with him. She has many fantasies of Max and her kissing passionately. In one episode, a drunk Fran accidentally climbs in bed alongside a sleeping Max. Upon waking up to find herself in bed next to Max, she says, "I'm havin' that dream again." In the last episode of season 3, Maxwell confesses to Miss Fine that he loves her when their plane from Paris to New York meets some turbulence, and he believes they may crash. Upon returning home, Maxwell immediately revokes the remark, claiming it was based more on panic and the possibility of death and was a spontaneous response, something he wanted to tell her before they perished. This incident is later referred to as "The Thing" and is held over Mr. Sheffield's head with glee by both Fran and Niles (
Daniel Davis Daniel Davis (born November 26, 1945) is an American film, stage and television actor. Davis is best known for portraying Niles the butler on the sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993 to 1999), and for his two guest appearances as Professor Moriarty on ...
) his butler for almost a whole season. In the beginning seasons, they always address each other with proper employer-employee politeness, i.e., "Miss Fine" and "Mr. Sheffield". (In the traditional British fashion of addressing butlers or ladies' maids, Maxwell calls Niles only by his surname.) By the fifth season, Mr. Sheffield and Miss Fine begin a tentative romantic relationship (they also have two dates but neither go so well; the first one where Fran inadvertently offends
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
, and the second one where it's discovered that Fran has a
squash Squash may refer to: Sports * Squash (sport), the high-speed racquet sport also known as squash racquets * Squash (professional wrestling), an extremely one-sided match in professional wrestling * Squash tennis, a game similar to squash but pla ...
allergy Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic derma ...
), which consists of a very large milestone: calling each other by their first names. The romantic tension between them lasts until the middle of the fifth season, when the couple are engaged. Maxwell proposes marriage and, following several snafus, they are finally married in the season 5 finale. Fran gives birth to fraternal twins, Jonah Samuel and Eve Catherine, in the series finale. Jonah, being named for Fran's side of the family, is more reserved like Maxwell. Eve, being named for Maxwell's side of the family, is more nasal and boisterous like Fran. Despite the fact that they stop using each other's last names to address each other when they become engaged, at times Fran and Max still switch to their boss/employee roles out of habit. When Max is angry with her, he will instinctively shout "Miss Fine!", causing a worried Fran to reply, "Oh no, I'm 'Miss Fine' again!" The same is true for Fran, who sometimes calls Maxwell "Mr. Sheffield" during intimate moments in the bedroom. When she and Maxwell finally become a couple, Fran sometimes exclaims "Oh, Mr. Sheffield" when they kiss.


Running gags

* Fran's voice -- Fran has a
nasal voice A nasal voice is a type of speaking voice characterized by speech with a "nasal" quality. It can also occur naturally because of genetic variation. Nasal speech can be divided into hypo-nasal and hyper-nasal. Hyponasal speech Hyponasal speech, ...
, and a heavy Queens dialect. Apparently, Fran has unique or deformed
adenoid In anatomy, the adenoid, also known as the pharyngeal tonsil or nasopharyngeal tonsil, is the superior-most of the tonsils. It is a mass of lymphatic tissue located behind the nasal cavity, in the roof of the nasopharynx, where the nose blends ...
s. Many comments are made by characters in reference to the distinctive voice, which is often found annoying to most of her peers. Whether Fran herself is aware of this is inconsistent throughout the series - sometimes she is oblivious her voice is different, but in other episodes she is aware of the effect of her voice on others and jokes about it. Fran's voice was not nearly as nasally and her dialect (and character) not as exaggerated and cartoonish in the early seasons as it became later on. * Fran's obsession with Barbra Streisand (and other celebrities) -- On several occasions, Fran has alluded to her belief that
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
is God, or at least the
Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of ''mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach'' ...
, claiming that if her mother and Barbra were both drowning, she would save her mother because "Barbra can walk on water." Fran has had many opportunities to meet Streisand or see her perform, often being foiled by plot devices - most notably severe
Braxton Hicks contractions Braxton Hicks contractions, also known as practice contractions or false labor, are sporadic uterine contractions that may start around six weeks into a pregnancy. However, they are usually felt in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. ...
in the season 6 episode "Maggie's Wedding." Fran did meet Streisand in the season 4 episode "The Car Show," when Mr. Sheffield faked food poisoning to encourage her to overcome a fear of driving. Fran makes quite an impression on Barbra by going through Barbra's personal things, as she does whenever the opportunity presents itself, and pilfering a purse and single shoe. * Fran's dating life -- Fran will often jump at any chance of meeting a man, due to her compulsive desire to get married, brought on by her loving though overbearing mother, Sylvia. Based on her Jewish background, Fran's most ideal attraction is toward Jewish men, preferably doctors, which is often shown whenever a man makes a cultural reference such as having a Jewish name or celebrating events such as Bar Mitzvahs. All of her relationships until Max become unsuccessful, even though Fran is obsessed with having an extended relationship. These disappointments are resolved by her psychologist, Dr. Miller (
Spalding Gray Spalding Gray (June 5, 1941 – January 11, 2004) was an American actor, novelist, playwright, screenwriter and performance artist. He is best known for the autobiographical monologues that he wrote and performed for the theater in the 1980s and ...
). With the ending of a relationship, Fran often bounces back to her growing relationship with Maxwell Sheffield, a pattern about which they both seem to be totally oblivious until later seasons. Despite marrying a
gentile Gentile () is a word that usually means "someone who is not a Jew". Other groups that claim Israelite heritage, notably Mormons, sometimes use the term ''gentile'' to describe outsiders. More rarely, the term is generally used as a synonym for ...
herself, Fran is overjoyed when she learns that the male model whom her (now) step-daughter, Maggie, is dating, and later marries, is Jewish (long before realizing that his cousin-in-law is her idol, Barbra Streisand). * Fran's age -- Fran often tries to expand her youth by lying about her age, particularly when it comes to men. Fran is quick to say that she is in her late twenties but she was really in her early to mid 30s throughout the series. However, she is extremely defensive to anybody who comes close to assuming any age that refers to
middle age In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
. Her age is such a secret, in fact, that even the FBI cannot figure it out. However, in season 3, Fran's age was revealed to be somewhat older than 33 when Val mentioned that Fran is older than she is and Val admits that she herself is 33. Just before Fran's wedding, Fran says she was born during
President Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until assassination of Joh ...
's administration. Nonetheless, she has indirectly revealed her age in some instances throughout the series including in a season 5 episode in 1998 where she claims to her boyfriend that she's 34. In addition, she celebrated her 30th birthday in a season 1 episode and when questioned by her mother in a season 3 episode about the amount of time it will take for her to get back her figure after giving birth to a child, she answers "I don't know Ma. 32 years?" Therefore, her birth year is 1964 (which is during the time of President Johnson's administration and not President Kennedy's, although as a matter of fact it would have been if Kennedy had not been assassinated in November 1963) and her age upon marrying Maxwell was 34 (which would make her nigh-10-years-younger than Maxwell). In reality, Fran Drescher was 36 at the beginning of the series. * Fran's extended family -- Whenever Fran wants to explain something about her low-class society, she will usually bring up a story referring to an eccentric, unseen relative. One episode had her make several references to "Cousin Toddy", who's revealed to be fashion designer
Todd Oldham Todd Oldham (born Jacky Todd Oldham; October 22, 1961) is an American-born designer and president of L-7 Designs Inc and Todd Oldham Studios. His approach to fashion and style has become known to millions through his fashion lines, interior desig ...
, and appeared as himself.


Maxwell Sheffield

Maxwell Beverley "Max" Sheffield is the male lead and patriarch of the family, portrayed by actor and British peer
Charles Shaughnessy Charles George Patrick Shaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy (born 9 February 1955) is a French actor. He is known for his roles on American television, including Shane Donovan on the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', and Maxwell Sheffield on th ...
. Maxwell is a
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
theatrical producer of some success, although he seems to remain in the shadow of his main rival,
Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...
. His backstory is established as including an education at
Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...
, where he was House President and a classmate of
Jeremy Irons Jeremy John Irons (; born 19 September 1948) is an English actor and activist. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969 and has appeared in many West End theatre ...
(though Eton has House Captains, not House Presidents, and Jeremy Irons was not educated at Eton but at
Sherborne School (God and My Right) , established = 705 by Aldhelm, re-founded by King Edward VI 1550 , closed = , type = Public school Independent, boarding school , religion = Church of England , president = , chair_label = Chairman of the governors , ...
). Max is always irritated that he turned down producing the shows ''
Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...
'', ''
Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and f ...
'', and especially ''
Cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...
'', which proved to be a financial windfall for Andrew Lloyd Webber. It was revealed in the episode " The Kibbutz" that his business partner, C.C. Babcock (who was his secretary at the time), was the one who convinced him to turn down ''Cats'' all those years ago. Maxwell's wife, Sara, died some years before the start of the series and he has worked closely with C.C. (who had her eyes set on becoming the next Mrs. Sheffield) for almost 20 years. Maxwell's busy schedule does not allow him much time to spend with Maggie, Brighton, and Gracie Sheffield so he had to find a nanny; enter Fran Fine. He is overprotective of Maggie, not wanting her to date. Fran is lowbrow, but has practical and common sense, having grown up in a close-knit
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
family in
Flushing, New York Flushing is a neighborhood in the north-central portion of the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is the fourth-largest central business district in New York City. Downtown Flushing is a major commercial and retail area, and the i ...
. This sets the stage for a lot of culture clashes, especially in the early episodes. Although Maxwell does not himself hold an aristocratic
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
title at any point in the series, it is once said that he is the first prominent Sheffield man in generations to not be a titled Peer or Knight, so it is safe to assume that he comes from a historically
upper class Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status, usually are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper class is gen ...
family with a history of title holding. Despite mutual attraction, Maxwell and Fran try to keep their relationship professional. Maxwell is nervous about commitment and is mourning his deceased wife, while Fran is still reeling from a broken relationship with ex-boyfriend Danny, whom she almost marries again in a later episode. After a lot of stumbling, Maxwell commits to Fran and confesses his true feelings, and he and Fran get married in the fifth season of the series. The engagement causes the jealous C.C. to have a nervous breakdown and she spends time in a mental hospital. After being released, she continues her maniacal attempts to separate Max and Fran, even placing a veil on her head at the wedding, and taking Max's arm to walk down the aisle, much to Max's bemusement. She is eventually removed from the aisle by Niles, the butler, and forced into a seat. On the eve of his wedding to Fran, Maxwell's late wife, Sara, appears to him. Sara reveals that she was the one who brought Fran into his life so she could become the nanny. When asked what she thought of Fran's voice, she states, "I thought she had a cold!" Maxwell becomes a father again when Fran gives birth to their twins Jonah Samuel and Eve Catherine Sheffield. After the birth, the whole family moves to
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, where Maxwell is scheduled to produce a TV show in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. His age ranges from 39 to 46 as he mentioned that he was 42 years old in "That's Midlife." He also stated that he was 44 years old in "The Nose Knows". In the episode "The Nanny Behind the Man," Maxwell identifies himself to be a
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
and admits that his middle name is "Beverley".


Maggie Sheffield

Margaret "Maggie" Brolin (née Sheffield) is the eldest child of Maxwell Sheffield, portrayed by
Nicholle Tom Nicholle Marie Tom is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Ryce Newton in ''Beethoven'' (1992), '' Beethoven's 2nd'' (1993), ''Beethoven'' (1994–1995), and as Maggie Sheffield on '' The Nanny''. She is also known for voicing ...
. In Fran Drescher's first book, ''Enter Whining'', Drescher explains that the character was added later, after a network executive suggested "A shy teenager would be a funny contrast to a brazen and flashy Fran." At first, Maggie is shy and awkward, and despairs that no boy will ever fall for her. She was forever bickering with her brother, Brighton, who felt that she was a nerd. Her relationship with her youngest sister, Grace, was one as a mentor. When Fran was hired as the new nanny, Maggie and Fran bonded almost instantly. Under Fran's patient tutelage, Maggie blossomed from a shy and awkward teenager to a somewhat popular young woman. Maxwell tended to smother Maggie, discouraging her from any kind of activities with boys, wanting her to remain his little girl. When Fran and her father married, Maggie was one of her maids-of-honor. She also bonded well with Fran's mother, Sylvia, and grandmother, Yetta. Eventually, Maggie met and married a handsome, Jewish underwear model named Michael Brolin (
Andrew Levitas Social Impact Artist Andrew Levitas (born September 4, 1977) is an American painter, sculptor, filmmaker, writer, producer, photographer, and restaurateur. Early life Levitas was born in New York City. He attended Horace Mann School and then ...
), who was related, by marriage, to
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
in a joint wedding ceremony. In the final episode, Maggie and her husband go to Europe, but Maggie stays in Paris with Brighton while Michael travels to Venice for a modeling shoot.


Brighton Sheffield

Brighton Milhouse Sheffield is the second oldest child and the son of Maxwell Sheffield, portrayed by Benjamin Salisbury. Because both his older and younger siblings are sisters, he feels like he is often left out and squabbles with the pair, causing trouble for his sisters. Despite this, he was also very sensitive. Brighton initially did not want to like Fran when she first arrived, having disliked all his previous nannies. However, he liked Fran's down-to-earth and witty personality. Brighton also bonded with Fran's mother, Sylvia, after joining a canasta league together. Brighton's ambition was to become a Broadway producer, like his father. During the later seasons, Brighton obsessed about his trust fund, or possible lack of one. During the final season, he was accepted into
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, but chose to take a year off to travel in France.


Grace Sheffield

Gracie Sheffield is the youngest child in the Sheffield family, portrayed by actress
Madeline Zima Madeline Zima (born September 16, 1985) is an American actress. She portrayed Grace Sheffield on the CBS sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993–1999), Mia Lewis on the Showtime comedy drama series ''Californication'' (2007–2011), and Gretchen Berg on ...
. Grace has a habit of using complicated words and terms that others can't understand, as well as naming medical conditions. The close bond between Grace and Fran, who calls her "Gracie", begins when Grace travels to Flushing on Fran's day off because she misses her. While there, Grace attends her first
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
wedding. When Fran came to the Sheffield home, Grace was seeing a therapist. When Grace "lost" her imaginary friend, her therapist revealed it was because Grace felt that Fran was filling the hole that had been there since her mother died. As Grace matured, Fran and Grace became even closer, and Grace adopted some of Fran's slang and dressing habits. While all the Sheffield children are okay with Fran's and Maxwell's relationship, Grace is the only one to actively support it, often scheming with Fran, Niles, or some combination thereof to get Maxwell to fall in love with her. Also, she states in several occasions that she looks up to Fran and wishes she was her stepmother, which finally happens in the fifth season. Grace's age is not consistent throughout the series. In the season 2 episode "Everybody Needs a Bubby" (September 1994), Maxwell mentions that Grace is seven years old, but in the season 3 episode "The Grandmas" (January 1996), Grace tells Fran she's ten years old. Grace mentions to Fran when the latter is reminiscing about the November 1989
fall of the Berlin Wall The fall of the Berlin Wall (german: Mauerfall) on 9 November 1989, during the Peaceful Revolution, was a pivotal event in world history which marked the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the figurative Iron Curtain and one of the series of eve ...
, that she was "only four" when the Wall fell and so can't share Fran's nostalgia potentially consistent with her age of ten in "The Grandmas".


C.C. Babcock

Chastity Claire "C.C." Babcock is a business associate of Maxwell and the antagonist of the series, portrayed by actress Lauren Lane. She is referred to as “C.C” throughout the series, with her full name only being revealed in the series finale. C.C. has worked with Maxwell for almost 20 years. Maxwell has a long-lasting rivalry with
Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...
, which was started when C.C. convinced Maxwell to pass on the opportunity to produce the musical ''
Cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...
''. C.C. harbors an intense crush on Maxwell and tries to move in on him after his first wife died; Maxwell, however, remains seemingly oblivious to C.C.'s advances. When Fran comes to work as the new nanny, C.C. immediately views her as a threat. Once Maxwell and Fran become engaged, C.C. plunges into depression, gains weight, loses her sanity, and has to be institutionalized for three months (a plot line written to coincide with Lane's real-life pregnancy).imdb.com
Trivia for ''"The Nanny"''
Retrieved on 2007-8-21.
Under duress, C.C. eventually realizes that her feelings for Maxwell are unreciprocated, and decides to re-evaluate her life. C.C. is typically portrayed as a functioning alcoholic, as well as egocentric, mean-spirited, tactless, and uncaring. She is particularly shown to be uncaring in her inability to remember the names of Maxwell's children Maggie, Brighton, and Grace, whom she usually refers to as "the big one", "the boy", and "the little one", or by incorrect first names. She always addresses Fran as "Nanny Fine", even after Fran marries Maxwell and becomes the lady of the household. C.C.'s main opponent is Niles, the Sheffields' butler. Niles has supposedly despised her from the start, and frequently makes quips at her expense. However, from the middle of the series and onward, C.C. and Niles show attraction for each other, feeling depressed when they cannot attack each other. However, when Niles suffers a mild heart attack, C.C. seems to be devastated until he regains consciousness. After refusing to marry Niles multiple times, a relationship later forms when C.C. realizes Niles is the one for her. C.C. later accepts Niles' proposal, gets married ''as'' Fran gives birth, and by the end of the series, they learn that they are expecting a baby.


Niles

Edward Ezel Niles is the butler and chauffeur for the Sheffield family, portrayed by
Daniel Davis Daniel Davis (born November 26, 1945) is an American film, stage and television actor. Davis is best known for portraying Niles the butler on the sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993 to 1999), and for his two guest appearances as Professor Moriarty on ...
. He is of French descent. He is strategic, loyal, tireless, caring, and protective of the Sheffield household, and especially loyal to his friend, Fran. Despite this, he is known for his manipulative attitudes and being a pretty deadpan snarker, and would often make clever, sarcastic, and sometimes insulting remarks. Niles' father had been the butler for Maxwell Sheffield's father, and Niles and Maxwell have known each other all their lives. After Sara Sheffield's death, Maxwell's business partner
C.C. Babcock ''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom which originally aired on CBS from 1993 to 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a fashion queen from Flushing, New York who becomes the nanny of three children from the New York/British high so ...
, descended upon him to woo Maxwell into marrying her. Four years later Maxwell hires Fran Fine as the new nanny for the children, Niles bonds with Fran right away. To Niles, Fran is a breath of fresh air, bringing life back in the house, which it had been lacking since Sara died. Niles is known as the household snoop. He is always caught listening to the intercom, "cleaning" keyholes, and conveniently cleaning rooms where important conversations are being held. As the all-seeing butler, Niles is known for manipulating events to ensure that Maxwell is not shortchanging Fran or others. He is also known for "overhearing" things that are not meant for him to hear. On more than one occasion, Maxwell has addressed a question to Niles while seemingly alone in an empty room, secure in the knowledge that his butler is nearby and listening. He gains a friendship with Sylvia, Fran's mother, and always makes sure something is available for her to eat. Niles is part of a butlers' association and is sometimes jealous of others' butlers. In one episode, two members of the National Butlers' Association interview Niles to determine if he has the right qualities to join the association. Until later seasons, Niles outright hates C.C., and makes it his mission to torment her at every opportunity, calling it "a hobby". The insults Niles gives to C.C. usually poke fun at her supposedly advanced age, subtly comparing her to a dog or a witch, her inability to date anyone, and her vanity, though C.C. will occasionally get the better of him, usually by mentioning that she is responsible for his retirement fund. He constantly encourages the romantic tension between Fran and Maxwell, and helps undermine C.C.'s constant attempts to sabotage their relationship and growing feelings for each other. Even though Niles despises C.C., the mutual rage between the butler and C.C. turns to lust or even love that keeps growing from the middle of the series onward, to the point that they both find themselves depressed without each other. Niles later reveals that his insults toward C.C. are a defensive form of flirting. Taking advice from Fran, Niles admits his love for C.C. and proposes. Appalled at the thought of marrying someone so far below her station, C.C. flatly turns him down several times. Later, after an argument, both C.C. and Niles tell Maxwell they are quitting, but are later discovered in bed together by Fran and Max. Neither Niles nor C.C. quits, and they carry on a "secret" relationship (known, of course, to just about every member of the extended Sheffield-Fine clan). Later in the series, after becoming trapped in an elevator with Fran (who is in labor with her twins), C.C. breaks down and accepts Niles' proposal through the closed doors. C.C. and Niles marry in the series finale, as Fran is giving birth to twins. After they are pronounced man and wife, C.C. learns that she is pregnant with Niles' baby, which causes both of them to faint.


Sylvia Fine

Sylvia Fine (née Rosenberg), is the mother of Fran Fine, portrayed by actress
Renée Taylor Renée Adorée Taylor (née Wexler; born March 19, 1933) is an American actress, screenwriter, playwright, producer and director.Taylor was nominated for an Academy Award for co-writing the screenplay for the film ''Lovers and Other Strangers'' ...
, and in early seasons by Fran Drescher (in flashbacks to Fran Fine's childhood). With her husband Morty (
Steve Lawrence Steve Lawrence (born Sidney Liebowitz; July 8, 1935) is an American singer, comedian and actor, best known as a member of a duo with his wife Eydie Gormé, billed as " Steve and Eydie", and for his performance as Maury Sline, the manager and fr ...
), the couple has 2 daughters, Nadine & Fran (Sylvia and Morty are also the names of Fran Drescher's real-life parents). Considered the stereotypical
Jewish mother Stereotypes of Jews are generalized representations of Jews, often caricatured and of a prejudiced and antisemitic nature. Common objects, phrases and traditions which are used to emphasize or ridicule Jewishness include bagels, the complaining ...
, Sylvia offers over-bearing guidance, has a voracious appetite (she claims to be "''Hippo-''glycemic"), and always tries to maintain an important and prevalent role in her daughter's life. Sylvia usually appears as a supporting character to whatever outrageous goings-on are happening in Fran's life, with several
ersatz An ersatz good () is a substitute good, especially one that is considered inferior to the good it replaces. It has particular connotations of wartime usage. Etymology ''Ersatz'' is a German word literally meaning ''substitute'' or ''replacement ...
events occurring at Sylvia and Morty's home. Sylvia bonds well with Maxwell's children and visits the Sheffield home (and eats their food) frequently. After becoming the step-grandmother to Maxwell's children, she became a grandmother to Fran and Maxwell's children, Jonah Samuel and Eve Catherine. Sylvia also has two granddaughters from Nadine's marriage. Initially when the family was moving to California, Sylvia and Morty were going to stay behind in New York, but in the finale they went to live in California with the Sheffields.


Grandma Yetta

Yetta Rosenberg Jones or Grandma Yetta (Yetta in Yiddish means "light”) Fran's grandmother and the mother of Sylvia and Uncle Jack. The character was played by actress
Ann Morgan Guilbert Ann Morgan Guilbert (October 16, 1928 – June 14, 2016), sometimes credited as Ann Guilbert, was an American television and film actress and comedian who portrayed a number of roles from the 1950s on, most notably as Millie Helper in 61 episode ...
. Yetta is based on Drescher's real-life grandmother. Yetta, who lives in a retirement home, is frequently seriously forgetful. She often visits Fran at the Sheffield's home and incorrectly assumes Fran and Maxwell are married and that the three children are Fran's, and that Maxwell is having an affair with C.C. She also had a habit of mistaking the opening sequences of old TV shows for memories or psychic visions. In one of the episodes, it is revealed that Yetta had a romantic affair with a waiter on the boat to
Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mi ...
, but she was to marry a different man. Her love letters from this period were adapted by Maxwell into a hit musical (one of his few successes). Yetta's first husband, Shlomo (sometimes referred to as Joe), choked on a chicken bone and died in 1973. Yetta later finds love with a man named Sammy (
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
) and soon marries him. The earlier life of Yetta, however, remains a mystery. Yetta and Fran sometimes mention different events in Yetta's life and all of the "facts" together paint it as one of the most interesting stories in the whole series. Yetta came to the United States on a boat from
Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
, and she married Joe. She then probably went back to Europe and traveled back and forth between the two continents, ending up on the ''
Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United ...
''. She survived the tragedy and it is assumed that she went back to Europe again. In one of the episodes, she says that on her and her husband's anniversary, they fled
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
(an event probably connected to the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
). The next place she mentions that she visited was
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
. She tells Fran that the fireworks were wonderful at which Fran pauses and asks if it happened on December 7, 1941, clearly referencing the
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
. Yetta then settled in the United States and had two children. She disappeared some time after Sylvia grew up and reappeared again when Fran was a girl. Fran tells this to Mr. Sheffield, saying that Yetta came "out of Europe with a dining table strapped to her back." When Fran, who has finally married Maxwell, and her new family move to California from New York, Yetta joins them. She also bonds with Maxwell's three children from his first marriage. In the last season, she welcomes her biological great grandchildren, Jonah and Eve Sheffield.


Valerie Toriello

Valerie "Val" Toriello is the best friend of Fran, portrayed by
Rachel Chagall Rachel Chagall (born Rachel Levin) is an American actress, best known for roles as Gaby in the film '' Gaby: A True Story'' (1987), for which she was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama and as Val Toriello o ...
. Val has been Fran's best friend since attending high school together in Flushing, Queens, New York. When the show began, Val had been working at the bridal shop with Fran. Val is of Italian descent. Val is often portrayed as a loser who still lives with her parents. People are genuinely surprised whenever she has a boyfriend. Val occasionally has moments of intelligence, but generally makes outright dimwitted remarks, much to the annoyance and worries of Fran. Her dim-wittedness often annoys The Sheffields, Niles, C.C., Sylvia and Yetta. When she and Val disagree, Fran at times uses Val's (lack of) intelligence as an insult. Like Fran, Val is unable to find success in love. However, near the end of the series, Val begins dating a pharmacist named Fred. She and Fred move to California along with the Sheffields.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nanny, The
Characters Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
Lists of American sitcom television characters