''Homefront'' is an American television

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

series created and produced by

Lynn Marie Latham Lynn Marie Latham is an American television writer, producer, and showrunner. Her initial foray into writing for television was as a story editor for the series ''Berrenger's'' in 1985. That same year, Latham became a writer for the nighttime seri ...

and

Bernard Lechowick Bernard Lechowick is an American television writer and producer. He grew up in Mentor, Ohio and is a father of two sons, Richard Latham Lechowick and Vincent Latham Lechowick.Lorimar Television Lorimar Productions, Inc., later known as Lorimar Television and Lorimar Distribution, was an American production company that was later a subsidiary of Warner Bros., active from 1969 until 1993, when it was folded into Warner Bros. Televisio ...

for

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

which aired from September 24, 1991, to April 26, 1993. The show was set in the fictional city of River Run,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, in 1945, 1946, and 1947. The show's theme song, " Accentuate the Positive", was written by

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ...

and

Johnny Mercer John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallich ...

and performed by

Jack Sheldon Beryl Cyril Sheldon Jr. (November 30, 1931 – December 27, 2019), known professionally as Jack Sheldon, was an American singer, musician, and actor. He performed on ''The Merv Griffin Show'' and participated in episodes of the educational music ...

. Forty-two episodes were broadcast in the United States over two seasons from 1991 to 1993. ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

'',

Abigail Van Buren Dear Abby is an American advice column founded in 1956 by Pauline Phillips under the pen name "Abigail Van Buren" and carried on today by her daughter, Jeanne Phillips, who now owns the legal rights to the pen name. History According to Paulin ...

, and fans showed determination in getting ABC to continue the show for a third season before it was cancelled.

Characters

Main

*Jeff Metcalf (

Kyle Chandler Kyle Martin Chandler (born September 17, 1965) is an American actor. Making his screen acting debut in a 1988 television film, '' Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story'', Chandler's first regular television role was in the ABC drama '' Hom ...

): Earnest young baseball player for the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

who finds romance where he least expects it; son of Stephen and Anne Metcalf; younger brother of Hank and Linda Metcalf. *Caroline Hailey (

Sammi Davis Samantha "Sammi" Davis (born 21 June 1964) is an English actress. She gained considerable praise for her performances in ''Mona Lisa'' (1986), as a teenage prostitute, and Ken Russell's ''The Rainbow'' (1989). She also had significant roles i ...

): British war bride determined not to have any children. *Mike Sloan, Sr. (

Ken Jenkins Ken Jenkins (born August 28, 1940) is an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Bob Kelso, the chief of medicine on the American comedy series '' Scrubs'' (2001–2009). He has also had notable appearances in many popular TV shows. Ea ...

): Steel manufacturer dumbfounded by the inroads that unionization makes among his employees. *Ruth Sloan (

Mimi Kennedy Mary Claire "Mimi" Kennedy (born September 25, 1948) is an American actress, author, and activist. Best known for her roles in television sitcoms, Kennedy co-starred in numerous short-lived sitcoms before her role as Ruth Sloan on '' Homefront'' ...

): Icy River Run socialite coming to grips with her Italian daughter-in-law; her only son, Mike, dies on his way home to Ohio. *Ginger Szabo (

Tammy Lauren Tammy Lauren Vásquez (born November 16, 1968), known professionally as Tammy Lauren, is an American film and television actress. She starred in the 1997 horror film '' Wishmaster'', portraying Alexandra Amberson, a young woman who accidentally ...

): Passionate, fast-talking young woman with dreams of fame on stage or screen. *Cpl. Robert Davis (Sterling Macer, Jr.; season 1): Decorated veteran who lands a job "on the line" at Sloan Industries but is isolated and belittled by racist co-workers; son of Abe and Gloria Davis; grandson of Rebecca Davis; great-great-grandson of a slave; served in Europe with the 761st Armored Battalion. In the second season he is joined by Perrette, his white French

war bride War brides are women who married military personnel from other countries in times of war or during military occupations, a practice that occurred in great frequency during World War I and World War II. Among the largest and best documented examp ...

. *Lt. Hank Metcalf (

David Newsom David Newsom (born March 10, 1962) is an American actor, producer and fine-art photographer. He is best known for his various critically acclaimed appearances in American television and for his work in 2005 and 2006 with Viggo Mortensen and Perc ...

; season 1): Soldier who returns to River Run to find that everything has changed; son of Stephen and Anne Metcalf; older brother of Linda and Jeff Metcalf. *Sgt. Charlie Hailey (Harry O'Reilly): Veteran who puts his battlefield skills to use for the local union. *Anne Metcalf (

Wendy Phillips Wendy Phillips (born January 2, 1952) is an American actress, known for her roles on television series including ''Falcon Crest'', '' Homefront'' and ''Promised Land''. Life and career Phillips was born in Brooklyn, New York. She made her scree ...

): Widowed mother, displaced from work on the line at local steel manufacturer in September 1945; her world is turned on end when she falls in love again. *Gina Sloan (Giuliana Santini): Italian war bride who arrives in the U.S. only to find that her husband, Mike Sloan, Jr., has been killed; Jewish Holocaust survivor. *Linda Metcalf (

Jessica Steen Jessica Steen is a Canadian actress in both film and television, noted for her roles in ''Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future'', '' Homefront'', '' Earth 2'', ''Armageddon'', '' Left Behind: World at War'', '' NCIS'', '' Flashpoint'' a ...

): Young woman who enjoys the fulfillment she finds in paying work; daughter of Stephen and Anne Metcalf; only sister of Hank and Jeff Metcalf; best friend of Ginger Szabo. *Abe Davis (

Dick Anthony Williams Richard Anthony Williams (August 9, 1934 – February 16, 2012) was an American actor. Williams is best known for his starring performances on Broadway in ''The Poison Tree'', ''What the Wine-Sellers Buy'' and ''Black Picture Show''. Williams also ...

): Father whose confidence in the American dream is tested by his son's experiences with racism; great-grandson of a slave; son of Rebecca Davis, who was disappointed when he married a dark-skinned woman; husband of Gloria Davis; father of Robert Davis; talented photographer; once played baseball in the

Negro leagues The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

; employed by Mike and Ruth Sloan as a chauffeur and man-about-the-house; shares apartment with his wife; dreams of owning a restaurant; attends Bethany Baptist Church. *Sarah Brewer (

Alexandra Wilson Alexandra Muriel Wilson is an American actress. She is best known for playing the original Josie Watts on the soap opera '' Another World'' (1988–1991). She also starred in the television series '' Homefront'' (1991-1992) and the major motio ...

; season 1): College co-ed romantically torn between her soldier, Hank Metcalf, and his brother, Jeff, whom she dated during the war; orphan; resident of boarding house; Protestant; studying to become a teacher. *Gloria Davis (

Hattie Winston Hattie Mae Winston (born March 3, 1945) is an American film, television and Broadway actress and voice artist. She is known for her roles as Margaret Wyborn on ''Becker'', Lucy Carmichael in ''Rugrats'', ''The Rugrats Movie'', and the spin off se ...

): Housekeeper who aspires to own a restaurant; wife of Abe Davis; daughter-in-law of Rebecca Davis; mother of Robert Davis; employed by Mike and Ruth Sloan as a maid and cook; only missed a single day of work when her son was born; cared for Mike Sloan, Jr. throughout his childhood; member of Bethany Baptist choir. *Al Kahn (

John Slattery John M. Slattery Jr. (born August 13, 1962) is an American actor and director widely known for his role as Roger Sterling Jr. in the AMC drama series ''Mad Men'' (2007–15), for which he was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award fo ...

): No-nonsense union organizer who begins romancing Anne Metcalf; divorced, Jewish, possible former Communist sympathies, originally is interested in Anne's daughter. *Perrette Davis (

Perrey Reeves Perrey Reeves (born ) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her recurring role as Melissa Gold on the television series ''Entourage'' from 2004 to 2011 and Frank the Tank's wife in the 2003 comedy '' Old School''. E ...

; season 2): The White French war bride of Robert Davis; daughter-in-law of Abe and Gloria Davis; granddaughter-in-law of Rebecca Davis. *Judy Owens (

Kelly Rutherford Kelly Rutherford (born November 6, 1968) is an American actress. She is known for her television roles as Stephanie "Sam" Whitmore on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Generations'' (1989–1991), as Megan Lewis on the Fox primetime soap opera ''Melr ...

; season 2): Beautiful blonde bartender with a thing for baseball; parents are no longer alive; widowed when husband, Tom Owen, was shot down over the Pacific Ocean; lives in Clearwater, Florida, in apartment over the bar where she is employed; had affair with Mike Sloan Sr.

Recurring

Although ''Homefront'' operated largely around its main ensemble cast,

guest star In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other ...

s were also featured. Notable repeat guests included: * Sam Schenkkan (John DiSanti) * Grandmother Davis ( Montrose Hagins) * Ed (

Kevin Scott Allen Kevin Scott Allen (born 20 March 1957) is an American stage, film, and television actor. Early life and career Born in Washington, D.C., Allen grew up in California, Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey. He was educated at the Hun School of Pr ...

) * Father Dreher (

Jonathan Terry Jonathan Terry is a television and film actor. He is best known for his role as Starker in '' Halloween III: Season of the Witch'' and Colonel Glover in ''The Return of the Living Dead'' and ''Return of the Living Dead Part II ''Return of the ...

) * Jack (Randy Harrington) * Coach Zelnick (

James Gammon James Richard Gammon (April 20, 1940 – July 16, 2010) was an American actor, known for playing grizzled "good ol' boy" types in numerous films and television series. Gammon portrayed Lou Brown, the manager in the movies '' Major League'' and ' ...

) * Royal (

Charles Fowlkes Charles Baker Fowlkes (February 16, 1916 – February 9, 1980) was an American baritone saxophonist who was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra for over twenty-five years. Early life Fowlkes was born in New York City on February 16, 1916. He stu ...

) * Arthur Schillhab (

Brian McNamara Brian McNamara is an American actor. His first major role was in the film ''The Flamingo Kid'' (1984). He then went on to appear in a few films, such as ''Short Circuit (1986 film), Short Circuit'' (1986), ''Caddyshack II'' (1988), ''Arachnopho ...

) * Mr. Melon (

Jack Dodson John Smeaton "Jack" Dodson (May 16, 1931 – September 16, 1994) was an American television actor best remembered for the milquetoast character Howard Sprague on ''The Andy Griffith Show'' and its Spin-off (media), spin-off ''Mayberry R.F.D.'' ...

) * Miss Wescott (Lela Ivey) * Miss Watkins (Sylvia Short) * Phil Havel (

Sam Behrens Sam Behrens (born Stanley Birnbaum; July 24, 1950) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Jake Meyer on the ABC daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'', Danny Waleska in the CBS prime time soap opera ''Knots Landing'' and as Gregory Ri ...

) * Bill Caswell (

Robert Duncan McNeill Robert Duncan McNeill (born November 9, 1964) is an American director, producer, and actor. As an actor, he is best known for his role as Lieutenant Tom Paris on the television series '' Star Trek: Voyager''. He has also served as an executive pr ...

) * Jonas (Fred Pinkars) * Jay Tweed ( Geoffrey Blake)

Episodes

Production and crew

(creator/writer/executive producer),

Bernard Lechowick Bernard Lechowick is an American television writer and producer. He grew up in Mentor, Ohio and is a father of two sons, Richard Latham Lechowick and Vincent Latham Lechowick.Diane Messina Stanley Diane Messina Stanley (born 1946) is an American television writer and producer. Positions held ''Strong Medicine, Judging Amy, Knots Landing, The Young and the Restless (Breakdown Writer), Harper Valley P.T.A., House Calls, That's Life, Savann ...

(supervising producer/writer),

Sharron Miller Sharron Miller is an American television and film director, producer, and screenwriter. She is one of the pioneering women directors who worked regularly in mainstream Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s (along with Elaine May, Lee Grant, Joan Da ...

(director),

Lorraine Senna Lorraine Senna (sometimes credited as Lorraine Senna Ferrara) is an American film and television director. Career As a television director, her credits include ''Dynasty (1981 TV series), Dynasty'', ''Emerald Point N.A.S.'', ''Trapper John, M. ...

(director),

Mike Vejar Michael "Mike" Laurence Vejar (born June 25, 1943, in Los Angeles, California) is an American television director, with directing credits on four ''Star Trek'' series, as well as directing other notable series, such as ''Zorro'', ''Babylon 5'', ' ...

(director), James Stanley (writer/producer), David Carson (director),

Bruce Seth Green Bruce Seth Green is an American television director. Green's credits include ''Knight Rider'', ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'', ''Babylon 5'', ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', ''Angel'', ''Dawson’s Creek'', ''Gilmore Girls'', ''Law & Orde ...

(director),

Christopher Chulack Christopher Chulack is an American television producer and director, best known for his work on the NBC drama series '' ER'' (1995–2008), along with Michael Crichton, also ''Third Watch'' (1999–2005), which he co-produced along with Edward A ...

(producer/director),

Félix Enríquez Alcalá Félix Enríquez Alcalá (sometimes credited as Felix Alcala) (born March 7, 1951 in Bakersfield, California) is an Argentinean-American film and television director. Career Alcalá's first major breakthrough came in 1991 when he was hired by L ...

(director), and

Joseph L. Scanlan Joseph Lawrence Scanlan (August 16, 1929 – December 18, 2020) was an American movie and television director who directed episodes of popular TV shows such as ''Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', ''What's Happening!!'', ''Spenser: F ...

(director).

Broadcast and syndication

''Homefront'' was aired in the United States by the

AmericanLife TV Network YTA TV (an initialism for its former full name, Youtoo America; commonly referred to as just YTA) is an American television network which originally launched in February 1985 as a cable channel. Unusual for a network of its type, it has had mult ...

on Sundays at 10pm Eastern, but the network has since stopped airing the show.

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * {{People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama , state=collapsed 1990s American drama television series American Broadcasting Company original programming Television series by Lorimar Television Television series set in the 1940s Television shows set in Ohio 1991 American television series debuts 1993 American television series endings