''The Building'' 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 ...
television series which 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 August 20 to September 17, 1993. While it was praised by critics, it earned low Nielsen ratings and was cancelled after only five episodes, leaving one episode unaired. It starred
Bonnie Hunt
Bonnie Lynn Hunt (born September 22, 1961) is an American actress, comedian, director, producer, writer and television host. Her film roles include ''Rain Man'', ''Beethoven'', ''Beethoven's 2nd'', ''Jumanji'', ''Jerry Maguire'', '' The Green M ...
.
Premise
Bonnie Kennedy, a commercial actress who was jilted by her fiancé (
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by George Clooney, numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film A ...
) shortly before the show started, moves back to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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to pick up the pieces of her life in an apartment across from
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Wh ...
. The story focuses on Kennedy's struggles and the characters who live in her apartment building.
Production notes
Making heavy use of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre op ...
alum, the show had a theatrical sensibility wherein minor mistakes, accidents, and forgotten lines were often left in the aired episode, and there was a loose improv feel to certain scenes. ''The Building'' was the first sitcom production of
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' ...
's
Worldwide Pants
Worldwide Pants Inc. is an American television and film production company founded and owned by comedian and talk show host David Letterman.
The company was formerly headquartered at the Ed Sullivan Theater building in New York City, but has sinc ...
production company; Letterman appears (unbilled) in a character role in the second episode. Hunt created the show, and wrote four of the five broadcast episodes. A sixth episode was produced, but did not air.
Two years after this show was cancelled, cast members Hunt, Lake, Virtue and Wortell would return in the series ''
The Bonnie Hunt Show
''The Bonnie Hunt Show'' is an American syndicated talk show hosted by Bonnie Hunt. It premiered on September 8, 2008. The show's second and final season premiered on September 8, 2009.
It was announced on December 7, 2009 that ''The Bonnie Hun ...
''. This follow-up series retained many of the distinguishing characteristics of ''The Building'', including the Chicago setting, an improv/theatrical feel, and the essential nature of the character relationships between the principals (although they were playing different characters). As well, the follow-up series was produced by Worldwide Pants, written by Hunt, and mostly directed by
John Bowab
John Bowab (born October 22, 1933) is an American director and producer of television and theatre.
Career
Bowab began his career in theatre, directing a number of stage productions, such as ''Mame'' (1983), '' The Night of the Hunter'' (2003), ...
.
Cast
*
Bonnie Hunt
Bonnie Lynn Hunt (born September 22, 1961) is an American actress, comedian, director, producer, writer and television host. Her film roles include ''Rain Man'', ''Beethoven'', ''Beethoven's 2nd'', ''Jumanji'', ''Jerry Maguire'', '' The Green M ...
as Bonnie Kennedy. Bonnie is a struggling actress, best known as the "Randolph Carpet Girl" in a series of local ads.
*Holly Wortell as Holly, Bonnie's best friend and fellow actress.
*
Don Lake
Donald Lake (born November 26, 1956) is a Canadian actor, writer, and television producer. He is frequently cast by director Christopher Guest, and is also a close friend and the collaborative partner of Bonnie Hunt.
He had a role in ''The Bonn ...
as Brad, who lives downstairs. Brad often drops by to mooch coffee and meals from Bonnie.
*
Tom Virtue
Tom Virture (born November 19, 1957) is an American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals ...
as Stan, Brad's roommate. An actor, he and Bonnie seem mutually attracted to each other.
*Richard Kuhlman as Big Tony. Rough around the edges, but generally decent and friendly, Big Tony lives upstairs and maintains the building. His wife, Antionette, is often heard yelling loudly offstage but is never seen.
*
Mike Hagerty
Michael Gerard Hagerty (May 10, 1954 – May 5, 2022) was an American actor. He was known for playing comedic blue-collar workers, including his recurring roles as Mr. Treeger, the building superintendent, on '' Friends'' and the manager of a ...
as Finley, a one-time firefighter who runs the nearby bar/hangout called "G&L Fire Escape".
*
Andy Dick
Andrew Roane Dick (born Andrew Thomlinson; December 21, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, musician, and television and film producer. Known professionally as a comic, his first regular television role was on the short-lived but influential ...
as Joe Devane, a talkative casting agent Bonnie often deals with.
Guest Stars
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by George Clooney, numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film A ...
as Sam,
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' ...
as The Thief,
George Wendt
George Robert Wendt Jr. (born October 17, 1948) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Norm Peterson on the television sitcom ''Cheers'' (1982–1993), which earned him six consecutive nominations for the Primetime Emmy ...
as Peter,
Richard Kind
Richard Bruce Kind (born November 22, 1956) is an American actor and comedian, known for his roles as Dr. Mark Devanow in ''Mad About You'' (1992–1999, 2019), Paul Lassiter in ''Spin City'' (1996–2002), Andy in ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' (2002 ...
as Tony,
Donald O'Connor
Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer and actor. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule.
His best ...
as Mr. Harper,
Jim Belushi
James Adam Belushi (; born June 15, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Jim on the sitcom ''According to Jim'' (2001–2009). His other television roles include ''Saturday Night Live'' (1983–1985), '' Total Security'' ...
as Dave.
Episodes
References
Bonnie Hunt: Building a Sitcom ''LA Times'', August 15, 1993.
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Building, The
1990s American sitcoms
1993 American television series debuts
1993 American television series endings
CBS original programming
English-language television shows
Television shows set in Chicago
Television series by Worldwide Pants
Television series by Sony Pictures Television
Television series by CBS Studios