Maude
Maude title card
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Norman Lear
Starring	Beatrice Arthur Bill Macy Adrienne Barbeau Conrad Bain Rue McClanahan Esther Rolle Hermione Baddeley J. Pat O'Malley Marlene Warfield
Opening theme	"And Then There's Maude" by Donny Hathaway
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	141
Production
Running time	approx. 30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	CBS
Original run	September 12, 1972 – April 29, 1978
Links
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Maude is a half-hour American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS network from September 12, 1972 until April 29, 1978. Maude starring Beatrice Arthur. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Norman Lear (born July 27, 1922) is a Jewish-American television writer and producer who produced such popular sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, Good Times and Maude. ... Beatrice Arthur with Angela Lansbury at the 1989 Emmy Awards. ... Bill Macy (born May 18, 1922 in Revere, Massachusetts) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Walter Findlay, Bea Arthurs long-suffering husband on the television sitcom Maude. ... Adrienne Jo Barbeau (born June 11, 1945) is an American television, film, and musical theater actress. ... Conrad Stafford Bain (born February 4, 1923) is a Canadian-American actor. ... Rue McClanahan (born Eddi Rue McClanahan on February 21, 1934 in Healdton, Oklahoma) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor, best known for her roles acting alongside Bea Arthur on the television sitcoms Maude and The Golden Girls. ... Esther Rolle (November 8, 1920–November 17, 1998) was an American actress. ... Hermione Baddeley (November 13, 1906 - August 19, 1986) was a celebrated British character actress of theatre, film and television. ... J. Pat OMalley (March 15, 1904 - February 27, 1985) was an English singer and actor of Irish extraction. ... Marlene Warfield is an American actress. ... And Then Theres Maude (Maudes Theme) was the theme song for the television series Maude, written and performed by Donny Hathaway. ... Donny Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul musician. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... List of Maude episodes (1972-1978) 1. ... CBS is one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... See also: 1971 in television, other events of 1972, 1973 in television and the list of years in television. For the American network television schedule, please see 1972-73 American network television schedule. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... See also: 1977 in television, other events of 1978, 1979 in television and the list of years in television. For the American network television schedule, please see 1978-79 American network television schedule. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... CBS is one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...

The program was a spin-off of All in the Family; like that show, it was a sitcom with topical story lines created by producer Norman Lear. A spin-off in television is a new series which contains either characters or theme elements from an old series. ... All in the Family is a popular and acclaimed American situation comedy that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971 until April 8, 1979, when the final original episode aired. ... Norman Lear (born July 27, 1922) is a Jewish-American television writer and producer who produced such popular sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, Good Times and Maude. ...

Maude starred Beatrice Arthur as Maude Findlay, a middle-aged, politically liberal, married woman living in suburban Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York, who embraced the tenets of women's liberation, always voted for Democratic Party candidates, strongly supported legal abortion, and advocated, albeit often clumsily, for civil rights and racial and gender equality. Beatrice Arthur with Angela Lansbury at the 1989 Emmy Awards. ... Maude title card Maude starred Beatrice Arthur. ... Tuckahoe is a village located in Westchester County, New York. ... Second-wave feminism refers to a period of feminist activity which began during the early 1960s and lasted through the late 1980s. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ... Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ...

Characters

Maude had been married three times before; two of her husbands, Albert and Barney, had died and she had divorced the other, Chester, who would appear on the show played by Martin Balsam. Her current husband, Walter (played by Bill Macy), owned an appliance store called Findlay's Friendly Appliances. Maude and Walter met just before the 1968 presidential election. Maude usually got in the last word during their many arguments, in the form of her trademark catchphrase, "God'll getcha for that, Walter." Martin Henry Balsam (November 4, 1919 – February 13, 1996) was an American actor. ... Bill Macy (born May 18, 1922 in Revere, Massachusetts) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Walter Findlay, Bea Arthurs long-suffering husband on the television sitcom Maude. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... A catch phrase is a phrase or expression that is popularized, usually through repeated use, by a real person or fictional character. ...

Maude's divorced daughter, Carol Traynor (from her first marriage, played by Adrienne Barbeau; in the Maude pilot, an episode of All in the Family, Carol was played by Marcia Rodd), and Carol's son, Phillip (played by Brian Morrison and later by Kraig Metzinger), also lived with the Findlays. Though single, Carol maintained her reputation of dating many men, as evidenced by her weekend "business trips" with various boyfriends. She dated various men throughout early seasons, eventually forming a serious (but brief) relationship with a man named Chris (played by Fred Grandy) in the later seasons. Like her mother, Carol was an outspoken feminist who was not afraid to speak her mind. Adrienne Jo Barbeau (born June 11, 1945) is an American television, film, and musical theater actress. ... All in the Family is a popular and acclaimed American situation comedy that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971 until April 8, 1979, when the final original episode aired. ... Marcia Rodd (born July 8, 1940) is an American actress. ... Kraig Metzinger was an American actor who played the role of Maude Findlays grandson Phillip Trainor on the sitcom Maude from 1977 until the programs cancellation in 1978. ... Fred Grandy (born June 29, 1948) was an actor on the U.S. television series, The Love Boat, before his election in 1986 to the United States House of Representatives from the state of Iowa. ...

The Findlays' next-door neighbors were Dr. Arthur Harmon (a stuffy, sardonic Republican who clashed with Maude's political views, played by Conrad Bain) and his sweet but scatterbrained wife Vivian (played by Rue McClanahan, who in the 1980s would star again with Beatrice Arthur in The Golden Girls). Arthur had been Walter's best friend since the two men served together in World War II; he was the one who brought Walter and Maude together in 1968 and "affectionately" called Maude "Maudie." Vivian had been Maude's best friend since they both attended college together. When the series began, Arthur was a widower and Vivian was a soon-to-be divorcée (her previous last name was Cavender); in a late first-season episode, Vivian and her husband, Chuck, were getting a divorce after 21 years of marriage. Arthur and Vivian began dating at the beginning of the second season and were married during the middle of it. The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Conrad Stafford Bain (born February 4, 1923) is a Canadian-American actor. ... Rue McClanahan (born Eddi Rue McClanahan on February 21, 1934 in Healdton, Oklahoma) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor, best known for her roles acting alongside Bea Arthur on the television sitcoms Maude and The Golden Girls. ... The Golden Girls is an American sitcom that originally aired Saturday nights on NBC from September 14, 1985 to May 9, 1992. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

The housekeepers

For the entire run of the show, Maude also had a housekeeper, a fact which sometimes contradicted her earnest, liberal intentions.

When the series began, the Findlays' maid was Florida Evans, a no-nonsense African American woman who often had the last laugh at Maude's expense. Maude would often make a point of conspicuously and awkwardly demonstrating how open-minded and liberal she was (Florida almost quit working for Maude because of this). Despite Florida's status as a maid, Maude emphasized to Florida she felt that they were "equals," and insisted she enter and exit the Findlay house via the front door (even though the back door was more convenient). Florida Evans was a fictional character on the sitcoms Maude and its spinoff Good Times. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

As portrayed by Esther Rolle, the character of Florida proved so popular that, in 1974, she became the star of her own new series entitled Good Times. In the storyline of Maude, Florida's husband, Henry, received a raise at his job, and she quit to be a full-time housewife and mother. In addition to being a spin-off of Maude, Good Times is based on the childhood of its creator, Mike Evans, who starred as the original Lionel on The Jeffersons. Esther Rolle (November 8, 1920–November 17, 1998) was an American actress. ... Good Times was an American sitcom that was originally broadcast from February 1, 1974 until August 1, 1979 on the CBS television network. ... Mike Evans (November 3, 1949 - December 14, 2006) (also credited as Michael Evans), was an American actor and co-creator of the show Good Times with Eric Monte (Ralph Carters character on the show shares the same name as Evans). ...

After Florida's departure in 1974, Mrs. Nell Naugutuck (played by Hermione Baddeley), an elderly (and vulgar) British woman who drank excessively, took over. Unlike Florida, who commuted, Mrs. Naugatuck was a live-in maid. She married Bert Beasley (played by J. Pat O'Malley) in 1977 and they moved to Ireland to care for Bert's mother. Hermione Baddeley (November 13, 1906 - August 19, 1986) was a celebrated British character actress of theatre, film and television. ... J. Pat OMalley (March 15, 1904 - February 27, 1985) was an English singer and actor of Irish extraction. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

Maude then hired Victoria Butterfield (played by Marlene Warfield), a native of the island of Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands, whom Maude initially accused of stealing her wallet. Victoria remained until the end of the series in 1978. Marlene Warfield is an American actress. ... Norman Island is located at the southern tip of the British Virgin Islands archipelago. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Title sequence

Maude starred Beatrice Arthur.

Beatrice Arthur greeting the viewers as Maude.

The opening title sequence begins with an aerial shot of New York City. It then showcases a drive from the city to Maude's house in Tuckahoe, where Maude answers her door and greet, ostensibly, the viewing audience. Although it supposedly shows the trip in the present (1970's) day, the cars traveling on the highway are from the 1950's at the latest. Maude starring Beatrice Arthur. ... Maude starring Beatrice Arthur. ... Beatrice Arthur with Angela Lansbury at the 1989 Emmy Awards. ... Beatrice Arthur greeting viewers as Maude. ... Beatrice Arthur greeting viewers as Maude. ... This example of a title sequence, from long-running serial drama Another World, was seen from 1966 to 1981, making it one of the longest-running continuous title sequences on television. ... New York, NY redirects here. ...

Series history and topicality

Maude spun-off from All in the Family after the character of Maude Findlay appeared on two episodes of the first program, the first of which aired in December 1971. Maude was Edith Bunker's cousin, and she represented everything Archie Bunker did not: she was a liberal, a feminist, and upper-middle class whereas Archie was none of those things. Although Maude's political beliefs certainly mirrored those of the series creators more than did those of Archie Bunker (the character of Maude was in fact said to be loosely based on creator Norman Lear's then-wife Frances), episodes of Maude often lampooned Maude as a naive "limousine liberal" and did not show her beliefs and attitudes in an entirely complimentary light. Just before the show's premiere in September 1972, TV Guide described the character of Maude as "a caricature of the knee-jerk liberal." Edith Bunker (née Baines) is a fictional 1970s sitcom mom on All in the Family (and occasionally Archie Bunkers Place), played by Jean Stapleton. ... Archie Bunker on the cover of TV Guide (August 8-14, 1981) Archie Bunker was a fictional character in the long-running and top-rated American television sitcom All in the Family and its spin-off Archie Bunkers Place. ... Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. ... Limousine liberal is a pejorative American political term for a wealthy liberal person who expresses a deep concern for the poor, but is not actually directly engaged with them on a day to day basis. ... TV Guide is the name of two North American weekly magazines about television programming, one in the United States and one in Canada. ...

While the show was written as very funny in nature, scripts also incorporated much darker humor and even drama, to the point where the show, in some episodes, could be seen as depressing rather than humorous.

Maude had an abortion in November 1972, months before the Roe v. Wade decision made abortion legal nationwide, and the episodes which dealt with the situation are probably the series' most famous and certainly its most controversial. Maude, at age 47, was crushed when she found herself pregnant, and everyone agreed with her that having a baby at her age was very risky and not a wise thing to happen. Her daughter, Carol, brought to her attention that abortion was now legal in New York state. After some soul-searching (and discussions with Walter, who agreed that raising a baby at their ages was not very wise), Maude tearfully decided at the end of the two-parter that abortion was probably the best choice. Noticing the wide controversy around the episode, CBS decided to rerun the episodes in August 1973, and members of the country's clergy reacted strongly to the decision. At least 30 stations dropped the show. 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... See also: 1971 in television, other events of 1972, 1973 in television and the list of years in television. For the American network television schedule, please see 1972-73 American network television schedule. ... Holding Texas law making it a crime to assist a woman to get an abortion violated her due process rights. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... See also: 1972 in television, other events of 1973, 1974 in television and the list of years in television. For the American network television schedule, please see 1973-74 American network television schedule. ...

The producers and the writers of the show tackled other controversies. In a story arc that opened the 1973-74 season, Walter came to grips with his alcoholism and subsequently had a nervous breakdown. The beginning of the story arc had Maude, Walter and Arthur enjoying a night of revelry. However, Maude panicked when she woke up the following morning to find Arthur in her bed. This scared her to the point that both of them swore off alcohol entirely. Walter could not do it ("Dean Martin gets a million dollars for his buzz"), and became so aggravated during his attempts to stop that he struck Maude. Afterward, he suffered a breakdown as a result of his alcoholism and the domestic violence incident. The arc, which played out in three parts, was also very controversial and was highly publicized in the press. This was the television schedule on all three networks for the fall season beginning in September 1973. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In the later seasons, Maude went through menopause, and many episodes showed Maude, sitting on a couch in a psychiatrist's office, talking through her insecurities about getting old as well as life in general. During the fifth season, Walter suffered another nervous breakdown when he saw his business go bankrupt. Menopause is the physiological cessation of menstrual cycles associated with advancing age in women. ... Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that studies and treats mental and emotional disorders (see mental illness). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The Nielsen Ratings for Maude were high, particularly during the first seasons of the program (during the heyday of topical sitcoms which its presence helped to create), when it was regularly one of the top ten highest-rated American television programs in any given week. When TV viewers or entertainment professionals in the United States mention ratings they are often referring to Nielsen Ratings, a system developed by Nielsen Media Research to determine the audience size and composition of television programming. ...

End of program

By 1978, when the series was in its sixth season, the ratings had started to sink and CBS decided to revamp the series. The final few episodes paved the way for Maude to get elected to Congress during the 1978 U.S. midterm elections (she helped campaign for a congresswoman who unexpectedly died in her house), causing Maude and husband Walter to move to Washington, D.C., with the rest of the cast being let go. In the story, the Harmons moved to Idaho where Arthur accepted a job offer, and Carol got married and she and Phillip moved to Denver. 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... The U.S. House election, 1978 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1978 which occurred in the middle of President Jimmy Carters term. ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack... : The Mile-High City United States Colorado Denver (coextensive) 154. ...

Those plans changed after just four episodes in the new format, when Bea Arthur decided she no longer wanted to continue the role of Maude. The idea was revamped repeatedly and in 1979 led to a short-lived CBS sitcom, Hanging In, starring Bill Macy; the show bore almost no resemblance to the original idea (Macy even played a different character). See also: 1978 in television, other events of 1979, 1980 in television, and the list of years in television. For the United States network television schedule, please see 1979-80 United States network television schedule. ...

Ratings

Maude's Ratings had changed over the course of its six-year run, during 1972 — 1973, the show was #4 on the Nielsen Ratings as the Top Five shows, and during the 1973 — 1974, 1974 — 1975 and 1975 — 1976, it was on the Top 10-rated programs on the Nielsen Ratings, here are the list of the show's ratings: 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... When TV viewers or entertainment professionals in the United States mention ratings they are often referring to Nielsen Ratings, a system developed by Nielsen Media Research to determine the audience size and composition of television programming. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... When TV viewers or entertainment professionals in the United States mention ratings they are often referring to Nielsen Ratings, a system developed by Nielsen Media Research to determine the audience size and composition of television programming. ...

• 1972-1973: #4
• 1973-1974: #6
• 1974-1975: #9
• 1975-1976: #4
• 1976-1977: #36
• 1977-1978: #40

This was the television schedule on all three networks for the fall season beginning in September 1972. ... This was the television schedule on all three networks for the fall season beginning in September 1973. ... This was the television schedule on all three networks for the fall season beginning in September 1974. ... This was the television schedule on all three networks for the fall season beginning in September 1975. ... This was the television schedule on all three networks for the fall season beginning in September 1976. ... This was the television schedule on all three networks for the fall season beginning in September 1977. ...

DVD release

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first season of Maude on DVD in Region 1 on March 20, 2007. It is not known if the remaining 5 seasons will be released at some point. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the home video, DVD, and UMD distribution arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation. ... March 20 is the 79th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (80th in leap years). ...

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... March 20 is the 79th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (80th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ...

Trivia

• The theme song for Maude was performed by Donny Hathaway.

• A 1977 TV Guide article, perhaps meant to be somewhat tongue in cheek, stated that Kraig Metzinger had replaced Brian Morrison in the role of Phillip because 16-year-old Morrison had grown taller than everyone in the cast but Bea Arthur.

• The theme song was mentioned in an episode of Seinfeld. Jerry, George, and Kramer are enjoying some sun in the Hamptons when Elaine walks in wearing a sundress, sunglasses and a huge hat. Upon seeing her, Jerry says "And then there's Maude..."

• In the Family Guy episode "No Meals on Wheels", first broadcast in March 2007, Peter and Lois sit down to watch, as Peter puts it, "one of those early Maude episodes with the really long opening credits." Instead of the actual theme song, which mentions Lady Godiva, Joan of Arc, Isadora Duncan, and Betsy Ross, this version lists Lady Godiva, Joan of Arc, Madame Curie, Clara Barton, Susan B. Anthony, Pocahontas, Indira Gandhi, Babe Zaharias, Amelia Earhart, and Cleopatra; much to Peter's and Lois's annoyance, it runs for nearly twice as long as the original.

• In Season 3 of Will & Grace, in the episode, "Cheaters, Part 1," Debra Messing's character, Grace, uses a line made famous by Maude Findlay. Will (Eric McCormack) makes a vicious comment about Grace's latest boyfriend, Ian, agreeing with Jack's comparison of Ian to Frankenstein. Grace then retorts, "God'll get you for that, Walter."

• In Season 10 of The Simpsons, in the episode "Viva Ned Flanders," Ned Flanders wonders what his wife will think about his Vegas marriage by yelling out "And then there's Maude! And then there's Maude!"

And Then Theres Maude (Maudes Theme) was the theme song for the television series Maude, written and performed by Donny Hathaway. ... Donny Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul musician. ... TV Guide is the name of two North American weekly magazines about television programming, one in the United States and one in Canada. ... This article is about the sitcom. ... Family Guy is an American animated television series about a nuclear family in the suburb of Quahog (IPA or ), Rhode Island. ... No Meals on Wheels is a season 5 episode of the FOX animated television series Family Guy. ... Lady Godiva by John Collier, ca 1897 Godiva (or Godgifu) (c. ... It has been suggested that Name of Joan of Arc be merged into this article or section. ... Portrait photograph by Arnold Genthe. ... Artists interpretation Betsy Ross and two children presenting her sewn flag to George Washington and others Betsy Ross (January 1, 1752 - January 30, 1836) was an American woman who is said to have sewn the first American flag. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Famed American nurse Clara Barton, first president of the American Red Cross. ... Susan Brownell Anthony (February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906) was a prominent, independent and well-educated American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century womens rights movement to secure womens suffrage in the United States. ... A 1616 engraving of Pocahontas by Simon van de Passe. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Amelia Mary Earhart (24 July 1897 – missing 2 July 1937, declared dead 5 January 1939) was a noted American aviation pioneer and womens rights advocate. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Will & Grace was a popular Emmy Award-winning American television situation comedy that focused on Will Truman, a gay lawyer and his best friend Grace Adler, a straight Jewish woman who runs her own interior design firm, as well as Karen Walker, a very rich socialite and Jack McFarland, an... Cheaters is a two-part episode of the television situation comedy Will & Grace, technically the sixteenth and seventeenth episodes of season three. ... Debra Lynn Messing (born August 15, 1968) is an Emmy Award-winning American actress. ... Eric McCormack (born on April 18, 1963 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is an Emmy Award-winning Canadian actor of Scottish and Cherokee Canadian descent. ... This article is about the 1818 novel. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Viva Ned Flanders is the tenth episode of The Simpsons tenth season. ... Nedward Ned Flanders is a fictional character on The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. ...

External links

• Information about Maude from the Museum of Broadcast Communications
• And Then There's Maude: an unofficial "Maude" fan site
• Information of Season 1's release on DVD
• Jump The Shark - Maude