Cast
Main
* Harry Anderson as Judge Harold "Harry" T. Stone * Karen Austin as court clerk Lana Wagner (season 1) * Gail Strickland as public defender Sheila Gardner (pilot episode only) * John Larroquette as assistant district attorney Reinhold Daniel "Dan" Fielding Elmore * Paula Kelly as public defender Liz Williams (season 1) * Richard Moll as bailiff Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon * Selma Diamond as bailiff Selma Hacker (seasons 1–2) * Ellen Foley as public defender Billie Young (season 2) * Charles Robinson as court clerk Macintosh "Mac" Robinson (seasons 2–9) * Markie Post as public defender Christine Sullivan (guest season 2, full time seasons 3–9) * Florence Halop as bailiff Florence "Flo" Kleiner (née Nightingale) (season 3) * Marsha Warfield as bailiff Rosalind "Roz" Russell (seasons 4–9)Recurring
*Mike Finneran as building superintendent/repairman Art Fensterman * Martin Garner as newsstand owner Bernie (seasons 1–3) * Terry Kiser as tabloid courtroom reporter Al Craven (seasons 1–2) * Jason Bernard as Judge Willard * Rita Taggart as prostitute/frequent defendant Carla Bouvier (seasons 1–2) *Denice Kumagai as Mac's wife Quon Le Duc Robinson (seasons 2–9) * John Astin as Harry's step (later revealed to be birth) father Buddy Ryan (seasons 3–9) * Mel Tormé as himself, Harry's music idol * William Utay as vagrant/Dan's errand boy Phil Sanders (seasons 3–7), and Phil's corrupt twin brother Will (seasons 8–9), who takes his place after his death * Brent Spiner and Annie O'Donnell as frequent defendants Bob and June Wheeler * Leslie Bevis as Dan's periodic lover Sheila * Yakov Smirnoff as Russian immigrant Yakov Korolenko * Eugene Roche as Christine's father Jack Sullivan *Daniel Frishman as District Attorney Vincent Daniels, Dan's tyrannical dwarf boss * Bumper Robinson as shoeshine boy Leon (season 5) * Ray Abruzzo as NYPD detective/Christine's husband Tony Giuliano (seasons 7–8) * Mary Cadorette as reporter/Harry's girlfriend Margaret Turner (season 8) *S. Marc Jordan as newsstand owner Jack Griffin (seasons 8–9) *Joleen Lutz as court stenographer Lisette Hocheiser (seasons 8–9) * Gilbert Gottfried as prosecutor Oscar Brown (season 9) * Florence Stanley as Judge Margaret WilburCasting
Selma Diamond died from lung cancer after the second season. Florence Halop was hired to replace Diamond as the new bailiff, but she was also a heavy smoker and similarly developed lung cancer and died after she recorded season three. She was replaced by Marsha Warfield, who played bailiff Roz Russell until the series ended in 1992. In 1984, Shelley Hack from '' Charlie's Angels'' was hired to replace Paula Kelly and portray new public defender Christine Sullivan—who was going to be romantically involved with Judge Harry Stone ( Harry Anderson). But during rehearsals, Hack and producer Reinhold Weege realized there was a problem. "What happened was the role was changed, Instead of being a funny lady, as she was in the reading, they had changed her into a straight woman. It wasn't working, The concept just didn't work and that's what I told them...What's the point if it's not working?" Hack and the producer mutually and amicably agreed she would not continue with the series. Ellen Foley was brought in for season two as a new character, public defender Billie Young. For episode 2 of season 2 (as a guest, in what was meant to be the season 2 premiere)–and from season 3 onwards (as a regular cast member)— Markie Post was hired to portray Christine Sullivan.Theme music
Every episode of ''Night Court'' opens (after a cold open) and closes with a Latin jazz-influenced, bass-heavy theme tune composed by Jack Elliott, featuring Ernie Watts on saxophone while featuring video footage of prominent New York City landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the New York County Courthouse. ''Night Court''s theme was used in the season-5 ''Scheduling
In 1984 the show debuted as part of NBC's powerhouse Thursday-nightEpisodes
Awards and honors
''Night Court'' received a number of awards and nominations. Both Selma Diamond (in 1985) and John Larroquette (in 1988) earned Golden Globe nominations, but lost to Faye Dunaway and Rutger Hauer, respectively. Paula Kelly was nominated for an Emmy after the first season. Larroquette won four consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series from 1985 to 1988, before he withdrew his name from the ballot in 1989. Selma Diamond was nominated in 1985, and Anderson received three nominations in 1985, 1986, and 1987. The series received three nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1985, 1987, and 1988. The series also received many awards and nominations in the areas of lighting, editing, sound mixing, and technical direction. The show was nominated for 31 Emmys, winning seven.Syndication
United States
After its primary run in broadcast syndication, the series aired on A&E Network for many years. It then aired on TV Land from 2005 to 2008, then began airing on Encore Classic on December 2, 2013. From 2016 to 2022, the show aired on Laff. As of March 2023, the series airs on the Weigel Broadcasting owned Catchy Comedy network weeknights. The series was also the subject of Catchy Comedy's inaugural weekend "Catchy Binge" on April 1–2, 2023. Since June 2024, it is now also broadcast on IFC, usually airing in marathons on Mondays and Tuesdays, and sometimes an episode or two is shown in the early mornings on weekends.Australia
Network Ten first broadcast the series in the 1980s and 1990s. 7TWO began showing reruns in June 2011. Reruns are currently being shown onCanada
Aired weekdays on both Comedy Gold and JoyTV.Germany
Sat.1 aired the series as '' Harry's wundersames Strafgericht'' (''Harry's Miraculous Criminal Court'') in 1988.Italy
Italia 1 aired the show as '' Giudice di notte'' (''Night Judge'') from 1986 until 1988.Spain
TVE aired the show as ''Juzgado de Guardia'' (''Court on Duty/Call'').New Zealand
The show screened weekly on TVNZ 1 in the 1980s and 1990s, and was rerun in the late 1990s.Home media
Warner Home Video released the first three seasons on DVD in Region 1. Seasons 4–9 were released as Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) DVDs as part of the Warner Archive Collection. On June 13, 2023, Warner Bros. (through Studio Distribution Services) released ''Night Court: The Complete Series'' on DVD in Region 1. Special releases The ''Television Favorites'' compilation DVD included the pilot episode, "All You Need Is Love"; both parts of the fourth-season finale, "Her Honor"; the fifth-season episodes "Death of a Bailiff" and "Who Was That Mashed Man?"; and the sixth-season episode "Fire", which marked the beginning of Harry's relationship with Christine. Harry Anderson, Markie Post, and Charles Robinson appeared in the '' 30 Rock'' episode, " The One with the Cast of Night Court". John Larroquette is also mentioned; Harry says he had just spoken to John, which annoys Markie (who has not had recent contact with her absent former co-star) and begins an argument between them that lasts for most of the story.Sequel series
In December 2020, NBC announced it was working on a sequel series to ''Night Court''. The show is executive produced by Melissa Rauch and Winston Rauch, with Dan Rubin writing. Larroquette returned as Fielding, while the show's central character—played by Melissa Rauch—is Abby Stone, a judge and the daughter of Harry Stone. The show is produced by Warner Bros. Television Studios for NBC. In April 2021, it was reported that Rauch would also star in the series as Abby Stone. In May 2021, it was announced that NBC had given a pilot order to a sequel series. In June 2021, Ana Villafañe joined the cast for the pilot, portraying an Assistant District Attorney and Lacretta plays a bailiff Donna "Gurgs" Gurganous. In July 2021, Kapil Talwalkar joined the cast for the pilot, playing a court's clerk Neil. In September 2021, it was announced that NBC had given the production a series order. In February 2023, it was announced that following the strong reception of the first four episodes, NBC had ordered a full second season of the show. A third season of the revival series would then premiere on November 19, 2024. On May 9, 2025, the series has been canceled after three seasons.Notes
References
External links
* {{Ellen Foley Night Court 1980s American legal television series 1980s American multi-camera sitcoms 1980s American workplace comedy television series 1984 American television series debuts 1990s American legal television series 1990s American multi-camera sitcoms 1990s American workplace comedy television series 1992 American television series endings American English-language television shows Legal comedies Primetime Emmy Award–winning television series Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios Television shows set in Manhattan NBC sitcoms Works set in courtrooms