''Father of the Bride'' is an American

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

that aired on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

during the 1961–62 season. The television series centers around the challenges an unready father faces as he adjusts to his daughter's engagement and marriage. Cast members include

Leon Ames Leon Ames (born Harry Leon Wycoff;U.S. Federal Census for 1910 for Fowler, Center Township, Benton County, State of Indiana, access via Ancestry.com January 20, 1902 – October 12, 1993) was an American film and television actor. He is best rem ...

as the father of the bride,

Ruth Warrick Ruth Elizabeth Warrick (June 29, 1916 – January 15, 2005) was an American singer, actress and political activist, best known for her role as Phoebe Tyler Wallingford on ''All My Children'', which she played regularly from 1970 until her ...

as the mother, and Myrna Fahey as the bride.

Cast

as Stanley Banks *

as Eleanor "Ellie" Banks * Myrna Fahey as Katherine "Kay" Banks Dunston * Ruby Dandridge as Delilah *

Burt Metcalfe Burton Denis Metcalfe (March 19, 1935 – July 27, 2022) was a Canadian-American film and television producer, director, screenwriter, and actor. Biography Burton Denis Metcalfe was born in Saskatoon, but grew up in Montreal and latterly in Lo ...

as Buckley Dunston *

Ransom Sherman Ransom M. Sherman (October 15, 1898 - November 26, 1985) was an American actor, radio and television personality and writer. He was an actor, known for the films '' Are You with It?'' (1948) and '' Winter Meeting'' (1948) and the television serie ...

as Herbert Dunston * Rickie Sorensen as Thomas "Tommy" Banks *

Lurene Tuttle Lurene Tuttle (August 29, 1907 – May 28, 1986) was an American actress and acting coach, who made the transition from vaudeville to radio, and later to films and television. Her most enduring impact was as one of network radio's more versatil ...

as Doris Dunston * Irene Tedrow as Miss Bellamy

Synopsis

Stanley Banks is a prosperous attorney who resides at 24 Maple Drive in Fairview Manor,

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

, with his wife Eleanor, who is known as Ellie, teenaged son Tommy, and daughter Katherine, who is known as Kay. Although Ellie, Tommy, and almost everyone else in Stanley's life reacts with enthusiasm when Kay announces her engagement to Buckley Dunston, Stanley is taken aback by the news.Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, ''The Complete Directory to Prime-Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present (Sixth Edition)'', New York: Ballantine Books, 1995, , p. 347. In the following days, weeks, and months, the unhappy Stanley, psychologically unready for the marriage of his only daughter, faces many challenges as he tries to adjust to Kay's new life, her fiancé Buckley, Buckley's parents Herbert and Doris Dunston, wedding and honeymoon planning, the wedding itself, Kay and Buckley moving into their own home in a small apartment at 324 Adams Street in Fairview Manor, and life in his own home without Kay around. Kay announces her engagement in the first episode, Kay and Buckley marry in midseason,McNeil, Alex, ''Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming From 1948 to the Present'', New York: Penguin Books, 1996, p. 281. and shortly before the series ends Kay gives birth to a son named Stanley Banks Dunston. Stanley works in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

at the

law firm A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise consumer, clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and Obligation, respon ...

of Williston and Banks, where Miss Bellamy is his secretary. Delilah is the housekeeper at the Banks residence in Fairview Manor.

Production

MGM Television Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television, formerly known as MGM/UA Television, is the television studio arm of the American film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), specializing in broadcast syndication and the production and distribution of television sh ...

produced the series, which was based on the 1949 novel '' Father of the Bride'' by Edward Streeter, the hit 1950 film of the same title based on the novel, and the film's successful 1951 sequel ''

Father's Little Dividend ''Father's Little Dividend'' is a 1951 American comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor. The movie is the sequel to '' Father of the Bride''. Plot Newly married Kay Dunstan anno ...

''. By March 1962, episodes began increasingly to center around Leon Ames's Stanley Banks character, who "became the dominant figure in the whole show." Even before ''Father of the Bride'' came up for consideration for renewal, Myrna Fahey expressed a desire to be released from the show, reportedly because she felt that too much emphasis was being placed on Ames's "father" character and not enough on her Kay Banks Dunston "bride" character. In early episodes of ''Father of the Bride'', the opening credits feature an animated

Cupid In classical mythology, Cupid ( , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus and the god of war Mars. He is also known as Amor (Latin: ...

wielding a

magic wand A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal, bone or stone. Long versions of wands are often styled in forms of staves or sceptres, whi ...

; while in later episodes, the opening credits feature the show's entire cast gathering on the staircase of the Banks's home.

Robert Maxwell Ian Robert Maxwell (born Ján Ludvík Hyman Binyamin Hoch; 10 June 1923 – 5 November 1991) was a Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovak-born British media proprietor, politician and fraudster. After escaping the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, ...

was ''Father of the Bride''′s

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...

, and Rudolph E. Abel and Mort Green produced the show. Episode

directors Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

included Mort Green,

Anton Leader Anton Leader (December 23, 1913 – July 1, 1988) was an American radio and television director. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 23, 1913. He directed radio dramas in New York in the 1940s and moved to Los Angeles in 1948. Su ...

Fletcher Markle Fletcher Markle (March 27, 1921 – May 23, 1991) was a Canadian actor, screenwriter, television producer and Film director, director. Markle began a radio career in Canada, then worked in radio, film and television in the United States. Early y ...

Gene Reynolds Eugene Reynolds Blumenthal (April 4, 1923 – February 3, 2020) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, and actor. He was one of the developers and producers of the TV series '' M*A*S*H''. Early life Reynolds was born on April 4, 1923 ...

, and

Richard Whorf Richard Whorf (June 4, 1906 – December 14, 1966) was an American actor, writer and film director. Life and acting career Whorf was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts to Harry and Sarah (née Lee) Whorf. His older brother was linguist Benjamin ...

, and

writers A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short stori ...

included Ken Cooper, Dale & Katherine Eunson, Mathilda Ferro & Theodore Ferro, Mort Green, and James S. Henerson.

David Raksin David Raksin (August 4, 1912 – August 9, 2004) was an American composer who was noted for his work in film and television. Raksin had more than 100 film scores and 300 television scores to his credit. Some sources called him the "Grandfather of ...

wrote the theme music.

Campbell Soup Company The Campbell's Company (doing business as Campbell's and formerly known as the Campbell Soup Company) is an American company, most closely associated with its flagship canned soup products. The classic red-and-white can design used by many Campbe ...

and

General Mills General Mills, Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational manufacturer and marketer of branded ultra-processed consumer foods sold through retail stores. Founded on the banks of the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in ...

Broadcast history

''Father of the Bride'' premiered on September 29, 1961, and 34 episodes were produced, airing on Fridays at 9:30 p.m. The series never gained anything near the popularity of the 1950 and 1951 films on which it was based,Father of the Bride, tvguide.com Accessed June 24, 2023.
/ref> and was cancelled after only one season. Its last new episode aired on May 25, 1962. Reruns of the show then aired in its regular time slot until September 14, 1962.

Episodes

References

External links

*
''Father of the Bride'' original opening credits with animated Cupid on YouTube

''Father of the Bride'' closing credits on YouTube

TelevisionAcademy.com/Interviews: Burt Metcalfe on the Father of the Bride TV Series on YouTube
{{Father of the Bride Father of the Bride (franchise) 1960s American sitcoms 1961 American television series debuts 1962 American television series endings Black-and-white American television shows American English-language television shows Television series based on adaptations Television shows based on books Live action television shows based on films Television series by MGM Television Wedding television shows Television series about families Television shows set in Connecticut Television shows set in Manhattan CBS sitcoms