Silver Spoons
Intro screenshot of Silver Spoons
Format	Sitcom
Created by	Howard Leeds Ben Starr Martin Cohan
Developed by	David W. Duclon Ron Leavitt Michael G. Moye
Starring	Ricky Schroder Erin Gray Leonard Lightfoot (1982-1983) Joel Higgins Franklyn Seales (1983-1987) Alfonso Ribeiro (1984-1987) Jason Bateman (1982-1983) Corky Pigeon (1982-1985)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	116
Production
Executive producer(s)	David W. Duclon (1982–1984) Robert Illes James Stein (1984–1985) Steve Pritzker (1985–1986) George Burditt (1986–1987)
Running time	approx. 0:23 (per episode)
Broadcast
Original channel	NBC (1982-1986) Syndicated (1986-1987)
Original run	September 25, 1982 – March 4, 1987

Silver Spoons is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 25, 1982 to May 11, 1986 and in first-run syndication from September 15, 1986 to March 4, 1987. The series was produced by Embassy Television for the first four seasons, until Columbia Pictures Television (now Sony Pictures Television) took production of the series with the move to syndication. A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Ben Starr, (April 1, 1988 – October 17, 2005) was a famous English comedian and a notable thinker and performer. ... Married With Children Ron Leavitt (along with Michael G. Moye) created the wildly succesful American television sitcom Married with Children. ... Michael G. Moye (along with Ron Leavitt) created the wildly succesful American television sitcom Married with Children. ... Richard Bartlett Schroder (born April 13, 1970) is a Golden Globe Award-winning American actor who began his career as a child actor. ... Erin Gray (born January 7, 1950) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her role as Colonel Wilma Deering in the 1979–1981 television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century // At the age of eight her parents separated, and she moved to California with her mother. ... Joel Franklin Higgins (born September 28, 1943 in Bloomington, Illinois) is an American actor and singer with a stage career spanning over 30 years. ... Franklyn Seales was born July 15, 1952 in St. ... Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro (born September 21, 1971 in New York City) is an American actor, singer, and dancer of Dominican descent. ... Jason Kent Bateman (born January 14, 1969) is a Golden Globe-winning and Emmy Award-nominated American actor. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article is about the television network. ... In the television industry (as in radio), syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast programs to multiple stations, without going through a broadcast network. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1982 in television involved some significant events. ... is the 63rd day of the year (64th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1987. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... This article is about the television network. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1982 in television involved some significant events. ... is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1986 in television involved some significant events. ... In the television industry (as in radio), syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast programs to multiple stations, without going through a broadcast network. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1986 in television involved some significant events. ... is the 63rd day of the year (64th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1987. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Columbia Pictures Television logo, used from 1992-2001. ... SPT logo Sony Pictures Television, Inc. ...

About the show

The title of the show is based on the expression that rich children are born with a proverbial silver spoon in their mouth, implying that they are given only the very best and work for nothing. It is also a term for family wealth. Despite the premise, the goal of the show was to disprove either of these notions. Look up proverb in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Silver Spoons was a sitcom that aired on NBC from 1982 to 1986 and in first-run syndication from 1986 to 1987. ...

In the pilot episode, Ricky Stratton (Ricky Schroder) arrives at the mansion of the father he has never met to introduce himself, move in and get to know him better. Edward Stratton III (played by Joel Higgins) epitomized the phrase "overgrown child," having never taken responsibility for anything in his whole life including his toy business named Eddie Toys, which showed in the pilot as he tried to take his mind off the fact his business associate embezzled some of his money. The elder Stratton thinks that his son is too uptight and needs to get out and have fun while he's still young. Edward's father is played by John Houseman in a recurring role as the thoughtful, well-to-do patriarch and industrialist whose demeanor starkly contrasts with Edward's and seems more similar to Ricky's (at first). A television pilot is the first episode of an intended television series. ... Richard Bartlett Schroder (born April 13, 1970) is a Golden Globe Award-winning American actor who began his career as a child actor. ... Joel Franklin Higgins (born September 28, 1943 in Bloomington, Illinois) is an American actor and singer with a stage career spanning over 30 years. ... John Houseman (September 22, 1902 – October 31, 1988) was a Romanian-born actor and film producer. ...

Ricky's mother Evelyn Bluedhorn (with whom Edward had a romantic relationship which led to a marriage that lasted one week, played recurringly by Christine Belford) placed him in a military boarding school after she remarried, thinking Ricky would be in the way. Needless to say, Edward was surprised to find that his short-lived marriage to Evelyn had produced a son. After originally sending Ricky back to boarding school, Edward changes his mind and decides to surprise his son by dressing up as a swamp monster to tell Ricky that he would let him live with him at the mansion. Swamp monsters have been a staple of comics for years. ...

The series centers on Ricky and his single father Edward. As an overgrown kid who owns a multinational toy company empire, Edward's mansion is stocked with arcade video games (including Tempest) and has a scale model freight train that runs throughout the house. Edward exhibits his childishness and playfulness in many behaviors; for example, he performs a little dance before playing Pac-Man when the video game plays its theme song. Stratton's personal assistant, Kate Summers (played by Erin Gray), was often the voice of reason. Kate's role added tension to the show and provided incentive for Edward to act more mature (at least sometimes). Edward and Kate had a will-they-or-won't-they relationship which led to the two dating and later becoming married in the third season. Tempest is an arcade game by Atari Inc. ... Pac-Man is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution by Midway Games in 1979. ... Erin Gray (born January 7, 1950) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her role as Colonel Wilma Deering in the 1979–1981 television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century // At the age of eight her parents separated, and she moved to California with her mother. ...

Supporting characters

During the early years of the series, Ricky meets Derek Taylor (Jason Bateman, appearing 1982-83) and Freddy Lippencottleman (Corky Pigeon), appearing from 1982-85). They get into a lot of trouble and learn all the childhood lessons along the way. Ricky also tries to teach his father Edward to grow up and be an upstanding adult, while Edward taught Ricky to be a kid and have fun. In the third season, Ricky develops a friendship with Alfonso Spears (Alfonso Ribeiro), the nephew of Edward's stuffy accountant Dexter Stuffins (Franklyn Seales). Jason Kent Bateman (born January 14, 1969) is a Golden Globe-winning and Emmy Award-nominated American actor. ... The year 1982 in television involved some significant events. ... // February 8 - Minipops premieres on Channel 4 in the UK. Though a ratings success, it is canceled after the first series due to heavy media criticism. ... The year 1982 in television involved some significant events. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1985. ... Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro (born September 21, 1971 in New York City) is an American actor, singer, and dancer of Dominican descent. ... Accountant, or Qualified Accountant, or Professional Accountant, is a certified accountancy and financial expert in the jurisdiction of many countries. ... Franklyn Seales was born July 15, 1952 in St. ...

Guest stars

Guest stars that have appeared on the show included Whitney Houston, Joey Lawrence, Matthew Perry, Mr. T, Menudo, Jonna Lee, Gary Coleman (in a crossover from Diff'rent Strokes as Arnold Jackson), and Ray Walston. Baseball Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda appeared at the end of one episode. Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is a six-time Grammy award winning, American R&B singer, soprano, pianist, actress, film producer, and former model. ... For other persons named Joey Lawrence, see Joey Lawrence (disambiguation). ... Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is a Canadian-American Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actor and comedian, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the hugely popular television sitcom Friends, a part he played for 10 years. ... This article is about the actor. ... Menudo can refer to: Menudo (band), a Puerto-Rican boy band Menudo (soup), a traditional Mexican (and Ecuadorian) soup Menudo (rapper), a chicano rapper Menudo (team), a soccer team in Portland,ME Category: ... Jonna Lee. ... Gary Wayne Coleman (born February 8, 1968) is an American actor. ... Diffrent Strokes is an American sitcom that aired on the NBC television network from 1978 to 1985, and on ABC from 1985 to 1986. ... Ray Walston (December 2, 1914 – January 1, 2001) was a stage, television and feature film character actor who played the title character on the situation comedy My Favorite Martian and Judge Henry Bone on the drama series Picket Fences. ... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 62 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... For the Chrysler executive, see Thomas W. LaSorda. ...

Episode guide

Main article: List of Silver Spoons episodes

Cast

The cast of Silver Spoons

• Ricky Schroder as Ricky Stratton
• Joel Higgins as Edward Stratton III
• Erin Gray as Kate Summers Stratton
• Leonard Lightfoot as Leonard Rollins (1982-1983)
• Franklyn Seales as Dexter Stuffins
• Jason Bateman as Derek Taylor (1982-1984)
• Corky Pigeon as Freddy Lippincottleman (1983-1985)
• Alfonso Ribeiro as Alfonso Spears (1984-1987)
• Bobby Fite as J.T Martin (1983-1984)
• John Houseman as Grandfather Edward Stratton II
• Ray Walston as Uncle Harry Summers (1985)
• Billy Jacoby as Brad (1985-1986)
• Christine Belford as Evelyn Bluedhorn Stratton (1983-1986)

Image File history File links Silver_Spoons. ... Image File history File links Silver_Spoons. ... Richard Bartlett Schroder (born April 13, 1970) is a Golden Globe Award-winning American actor who began his career as a child actor. ... Joel Franklin Higgins (born September 28, 1943 in Bloomington, Illinois) is an American actor and singer with a stage career spanning over 30 years. ... Erin Gray (born January 7, 1950) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her role as Colonel Wilma Deering in the 1979–1981 television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century // At the age of eight her parents separated, and she moved to California with her mother. ... Franklyn Seales was born July 15, 1952 in St. ... Jason Kent Bateman (born January 14, 1969) is a Golden Globe-winning and Emmy Award-nominated American actor. ... Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro (born September 21, 1971 in New York City) is an American actor, singer, and dancer of Dominican descent. ... John Houseman (September 22, 1902 – October 31, 1988) was a Romanian-born actor and film producer. ... Ray Walston (December 2, 1914 – January 1, 2001) was a stage, television and feature film character actor who played the title character on the situation comedy My Favorite Martian and Judge Henry Bone on the drama series Picket Fences. ... Billy Jayne (born William Jacoby, April 10, 1969 in Flushing, Queens, New York) is an actor. ...

Reruns and syndication

The series has not been in regular syndication since the mid-1990s, except for a few airings of select episodes on Nick at Nite in 2001 and 2005. Nick-at-Nite (sometimes spelled Nick @ Nite, by its current logo) is the evening programming block broadcast over Nickelodeon Sunday–Thursdays from 9 PM–6 AM and Friday–Saturdays from 10 PM–6 AM Eastern and Pacific Standard Time. ... This is a list of television-related events in 2001. ... The year 2005 in television involved some significant events. ...

The Sony Pictures Television program library (including Silver Spoons) had been acquired by ION in August 2006. No date has been announced when Silver Spoons will air. The show is also available on Comcast digital cable's On Demand service as of September 19, 2006. ION Television is a broadcast and cable television network first broadcast on August 31, 1998 under the name PAX TV (early on in its development, it was called PaxNet). ... Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is the largest[1] cable television (CATV) company and the second largest Internet service provider in the United States. ... This article is in need of attention. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The first season is also available for purchase by episode or season on iTunes.

Theme song

The show's theme song titled "Together" was written by Rik Howard and Bob Wirth. The original version was accompanied mostly by guitar. Two other versions of the theme were used during the show's run. A synthesized version was used in 1985 when all other Embassy Television series (The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes included) modified their opening credits. The third version of the theme, a rock version, was introduced in 1986 when the show moved to first-run syndication. Synthesis (from the Greek words syn = plus and thesis = position) is commonly understood to be an integration of two or more pre-existing elements which results in a new creation. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1985. ... The Facts of Life is an American sitcom that originally ran on the NBC network from August 24, 1979 to September 13, 1988. ... Diffrent Strokes is an American sitcom that aired on the NBC television network from 1978 to 1985, and on ABC from 1985 to 1986. ... The year 1986 in television involved some significant events. ...

Issues addressed

While largely a comedy, Silver Spoons commonly addressed certain issues that affect people using the "very special episode" format. For a one-off television program, see Television special. ...

• In a Season 1 episode, Ricky suspects that a girl he's babysitting was kidnapped by her father. Many missing children cases have involved children being kidnapped by one of their parents or relatives.

• In an episode from Season 3, Alfonso is doing poorly in school, and a teacher (played by Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner) helps him by discovering that Alfonso has dyslexia, a condition which causes the mind to retain information differently, and letters are seen in a different way, usually backwards.

• Ricky attends a party and is pressured into drinking by his friend. He later finds out that his friend has a drinking problem and tries to get him help.

• The issue of school bullies was touched upon in an episode in which Ricky is being picked on by a bully and Edward decides to hire a bodyguard for Ricky (played by Mr. T).

• Homelessness was addressed in an episode when Ricky discovered a family living in a cave on his father's estate.

• Teen pregnancy was also a subject in an episode where Ricky is paired with a girl in a mock marriage project at school and finds out his partner is pregnant, both in the mock marriage project and in real life.

• In the Season 2 episode "Spare the Rod," Ricky discovers that his friend is being beaten by his father. The end of the episode reveals that the father is also a child abuse victim.

• In the Season 1 episode "The Great Computer Caper", Ricky and friend Arnold Jackson (a crossover character from Diff'rent Strokes) hack into a military computer and access the plans for a top-secret fighter jet. They soon learn they might be guilty of treason and attempt to run away from home to avoid punishment.

William Bruce Jenner (born October 28, 1949 in Mount Kisco, New York) is a U.S. track athlete, known principally for winning the decathlon in the 1976 Summer Olympics. ... This article is about developmental dyslexia. ... Many nations have a legal drinking age, or the minimum age one must be to drink alcohol. ... Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ... A very common image in many schools around the world. ... A very common image in many schools around the world. ... Bodyguards of Viktor Yushchenko (far left) after leaving Gdansk city hall. ... This article is about the actor. ... Bag lady redirects here. ... Teenage pregnancy refers to the controversial social issue of teenage girls getting pregnant. ... Child abuse is the physical, emotional or sexual abuse or neglect of children by parents, guardians, or others. ... For other uses, see Treason (disambiguation) or Traitor (disambiguation). ...

DVD releases

On June 19, 2007, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first season of Silver Spoons on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time.^[1] is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the home video, DVD, and UMD distribution arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation. ...

is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

References

External links

• Silver Spoons at the Internet Movie Database
• Silver Spoons at TV.com
• Silver Spoons at Retro Junk
• Silver Spoons at Jump The Shark