''Open All Night'' is an American
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 ...
that aired on
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 ...
from November 28, 1981,
to March 5, 1982. The show centered on Gordon Feester (
George Dzundza
George Dzundza ( ; born July 19, 1945) is an American television and film actor.
Early life and education
Dzundza was born in Rosenheim, Germany, to a Ukrainian-Jewish father, Roman Dzundza, originally from Kalush, Ukraine, and a Polish-Jewish m ...
) and his oddball family working in an all-night chain grocery store named 364 Store
that is open everyday except Christmas.
[Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, The Complete Directory to Prime-Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946 - Present (7th Edition), page 763, Ballantine Books, 1999] Store manager Feester lives in an apartment above the store with his wife, Gretchen, and his teenaged step-son, Terry.
Robin is the tall ( night manager, and officers Steve and Edie often stop by for coffee and doughnuts, but are never able to catch shoplifters or other criminals.
Despite a similar title and a setting, it has no connection to the British series ''
Open All Hours
''Open All Hours'' is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. It ran for 26 episodes in four series, which aired in 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985. The programme developed from a television pilot broadcast in Ronni ...
''.
Jay Tarses
Michael Jay Tarses (born July 3, 1939) is an American screenwriter, producer, actor. He created and produced ''The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd'' and ''The Slap Maxwell Story'', co-created ''Buffalo Bill'' (with Tom Patchett), and was an exec ...
was co-creator, writer, co-star and occasional director of the show.
Cassandra Peterson
Cassandra Peterson (born September 17, 1951) is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of the horror hostess character Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Peterson gained fame on Los Angeles television station KHJ-TV in her stage ...
(better known for her
Elvira
Elvira is a female given name. First recorded in medieval Spain, it is likely of Germanic (Gothic) origin.
Elvira may refer to:
People Nobility
* Elvira Menéndez (died 921), daughter of Hermenegildo Gutiérrez and wife of Ordoño II of León ...
persona) made a guest appearance on one episode.
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He hosted late night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982 debut of ''Late Night with David Letterman' ...
also made a guest appearance, and made a sly reference to his
daytime talk show, which was canceled a year before.
Cast
Main
*
George Dzundza
George Dzundza ( ; born July 19, 1945) is an American television and film actor.
Early life and education
Dzundza was born in Rosenheim, Germany, to a Ukrainian-Jewish father, Roman Dzundza, originally from Kalush, Ukraine, and a Polish-Jewish m ...
as Gordon Feester
*
Susan Tyrrell
Susan Tyrrell (born Susan Jillian Creamer; March 18, 1945 – June 16, 2012) was an American character actress. Tyrrell's career began in theater in New York City in the 1960s in Broadway and off Broadway productions. Her first film was ''Shoot ...
as Gretchen Feester
*
Sam Whipple
Sampson E. Whipple (September 25, 1960 – June 3, 2002) was an American actor best remembered for his role as Dr. John Ballard on the TV series '' Seven Days''.
His credits include ''The Doors'', ''Airheads'', ''This Is Spinal Tap
'' ...
as Terry Hoffmeister
*
Bubba Smith
Charles Aaron Smith (February 28, 1945 – August 3, 2011), commonly known as Bubba Smith, was an American football defensive end and actor. He first came into prominence at Michigan State University, where he twice earned All-American hon ...
as Robin, the night manager
*
Jay Tarses
Michael Jay Tarses (born July 3, 1939) is an American screenwriter, producer, actor. He created and produced ''The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd'' and ''The Slap Maxwell Story'', co-created ''Buffalo Bill'' (with Tom Patchett), and was an exec ...
as Officer Steve
* Bever-Leigh Banfield as Officer Edie
Recurring
* Clyde Phillip Taylor as Dr. Cavanaugh, an eccentric regular customer
*
Joe Mantegna
Joseph Anthony Mantegna (, ; born November 13, 1947) is an American actor.
Mantegna began his career on stage in 1969 in the Chicago production of the musical ''Hair''. He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Joseph Jeffe ...
appeared occasionally as an unnamed regular customer who only ever seemed to ask for change
References
External links
*{{imdb title, id=0081913, title=Open All Night
Open All Night summary on TV.com
1981 American television series debuts
1982 American television series endings
American Broadcasting Company original programming
1980s American sitcoms
Television shows set in Cleveland