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Gimme a Break!
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Mort Lachman Sy Rosen
Directed by	John Bowab Hal Cooper Jim Drake Linda Day Dick Harwood Jules Lichtman Will Mackenzie Patrick Maloney Phil Ramuno Tony Singletary Oz Scott Herbert Kenwith Howard Storm
Starring	Nell Carter Dolph Sweet Kari Michaelsen Lauri Hendler Lara Jill Miller Howard Morton John Hoyt Telma Hopkins Joey Lawrence Jonathan Silverman Rosetta LeNoire Matthew Lawrence Paul Sand Rosie O'Donnell
Theme music composer	Bob Christianson, Bob Garrett, and Marley Sims (first two seasons only) Jay Graydon andRichard Page
Opening theme	"Gimme a Break" performed by Nell Carter
Composer	Bob Christianson
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	137(list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Hal Cooper Mort Lachman Rod Parker
Producers	Arthur Julian Coleman Mitchell Geoffrey Neigher
Running time	24–25 minutes
Production companies	Mort Lachman and Associates (Entire Series) Alan Landsburg Productions (seasons 1–4) Reeves Entertainment Group (seasons 5–6)
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	October 29, 1981 (1981-10-29) – May 12, 1987 (1987-05-12)

Gimme a Break! is an American televisionsitcom created byMort Lachman andSy Rosen that aired onNBC for six seasons from October 29, 1981, to May 12, 1987. The series starredNell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters.

In Glenlawn, a fictionalsuburb inCalifornia, Nellie Ruth "Nell" Harper (Nell Carter) agrees to look after the Kanisky household as a special favor to her dying friend Margaret Huffman Kanisky (played in flashback by Sharon Spelman), the wife of police chief Carl Kanisky (Dolph Sweet). More than a mere housekeeper and cook, Nell serves as a parental figure to the chief's three teenaged daughters, Katie (Kari Michaelsen), Julie (Lauri Hendler), and Samantha (Lara Jill Miller). A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence), joins the Kanisky household in season three.

Five episodes into the sixth and final season, the show changed locales from Glenlawn toNew York City, when Nell, concerned for Joey's welfare after he moved there with his absentee father, traveled there to check on him. She subsequently assumed guardianship of Joey and his younger brother Matthew (played by Joey Lawrence's real-life brotherMatthew Lawrence) at their father's request, and was forced to permanently relocate there after Chief Kanisky's father Stanley (John Hoyt) sold the family's Glenlawn home.

Over the six-year run, celebrities often appeared on the show, including singersWhitney Houston,Andy Gibb,Sammy Davis Jr.,Ray Parker Jr., andThe Pointer Sisters. More often than not, the guest singers would perform a song with Nell on the episodes. During the third season,Pat Sajak guest-starred as himself when Nell and her friend Addy (Telma Hopkins) were contestants onWheel of Fortune. Other notable guest stars includedMilton Berle,Danny Glover,Rue McClanahan,Tony Randall,Helen Hunt,Don Rickles,Gwen Verdon,Dennis Haysbert,Ernie Hudson,Gary Collins, andElizabeth Berkley.

The episode "Cat Story" was performed and broadcast live on February 23, 1985, as a promotional gimmick, which the cast performed without major incident. An earlier episode (from the 1984–85 season), "Baby of the Family", ranked number 38 onTV Land's list of "The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments"; it depicted Joey dressing and performing inblackface at Nell's church benefit, a plan hatched by Samantha to retaliate for Nell forbidding her to go on an unchaperoned camping trip.^[1]

• Nell Carter asNellie Ruth "Nell" Harper was a talented singer fromTuscaloosa County, Alabama, who ran away from home when she was 18. She met and became friends with Margaret Kanisky and promised to look after her family after she had died fromcancer. In keeping her promise, Nell took on the role of housekeeper and mother to the kids and remained in the series for the entire 6-year run. She later became a foster mother to Joey Donovan in season three. Nell moved toGreenwich Village inNew York City in season six with Joey and Addy, and worked as an assistant editor for apublishing company.
• Dolph Sweet asPolice Chief Carl "Chief" Kanisky (seasons 1–4), known simply as "the Chief", was a widower with three teenaged daughters. After Dolph Sweet's death on May 8, 1985, his character was written out of the series as also having died, and the show continued with Nell taking over as head of the household.
• Kari Michaelsen asKathleen "Katie" Kanisky (seasons 1–5) is the Chief's eldest daughter. She decided not to go to college and opened a boutique called Katie's Corner. After her boutique went out of business, she was written out of the series in the final season as having obtained a job inSan Francisco. Her last appearance was the first episode of season six, in which she was nowbrunette.
• Lauri Hendler asJulie Kanisky Maxwell (seasons 1–5) is the Chief's middle daughter, portrayed as being very intelligent. She married Jonathan Maxwell at the end of season four and became pregnant in season five. In the season-six premiere, after Nell Maxwell had been born, the new three-member Maxwell family moved toSan Jose and was therefore written out of the series.
• Lara Jill Miller asSamantha "Sam" Kanisky (seasons 1–5, recurring in season 6) is the Chief's youngest daughter, portrayed as a typicaltomboy in her preteen years, but developed into a boy-crazy teenager. She moved toWarren County, New Jersey, to go to Littlefield College, and had a recurring role in season six.
• John Hoyt asStanley "Grandpa" Kanisky (seasons 2–6, previously recurring) is the Chief's grumpy, but lovablePolish immigrant father. He moves in with his son and granddaughters following his wife's death in season three. In season six, he moves to New York City, into the same building as Nell, after selling the Kanisky house.
• Joey Lawrence asJoey Donovan (seasons 3–6) eventually becomes Nell's foster son; he starts out working as a con artist to raise money to join his uncle inChicago. Later, Joey becomes a key cast member. His father Tim Donovan appeared on the show inNew Orleans and in New York City. Joey meets his younger brother and moves in with Tim at the beginning of season 6, but is reunited with Nell soon afterwards and moves in with her and Addy in New York City.
• Howard Morton asOfficer Ralph Waldo Simpson (seasons 3–5, previously recurring) is a not very bright, but lovable police officer who was a subordinate of the Chief's.
• Telma Hopkins asDr. Adelaide "Addy" Wilson (seasons 4–6, previously recurring) is Nell's childhood friend, holder of aPh.D., and a member ofPhi Beta Kappa. Addy was chief educational curriculum supervisor for postgraduate students studying for doctorates in history, English, and economic geography in the California university system. She later moved to New York City, where Nell eventually joined her. Although Nell and Addy were friends, they also constantly clashed.
• Jonathan Silverman asJonathan Maxwell (season 5, previously recurring) is Julie's boyfriend and later husband, pizzaman, andarcheology student. Jonathan went toMexico on a three-month dig. Jonathan, Julie, and their new baby left for San Jose after season five.
• Rosetta LeNoire as"Mama" Maybelle Harper (season 6, previously recurring) is Nell's stern, bitter, and critical mother, who was introduced in season four ("Alabamy Bound: Part 1"). Previously, in season one's "Nell Goes Home" and season three's "A Kanisky Christmas", the character's name was Emma, was played by Hilda Haynes, and was soft-spoken.
• Matthew Lawrence asMatthew Donovan (season 6) is Joey's younger brother, who also lived with Nell and Addy in New York City.
• Rosie O'Donnell asMaggie O'Brien (season 6) is Nell's not-so-brightdental hygienist neighbor in New York City.
• Paul Sand asMarty (season 6) is the landlord of the building where Nell, Addy, Joey, and Matthew lived. He also owned the adjacent restaurant La Gazpacho, where he went by "Esteban".

• Alvernette Jimenez asAngie McDaniel is Nell's tall, skinny, and dim-witted friend, the typicalairhead with a little girl's voice. The character was eventually written out of the show, but appeared in several episodes between seasons one and four.
• Jane Dulo asMildred Kanisky (née Wuchetzky) is Stanley Kanisky's wife and Carl's mother; she was also played byElvia Allman in "Katie the Cheat" and Elizabeth Kerr in "Grandma Fools Around". Dulo played the role in season two. The character died, leaving Stanley a widower in season three.
• Pete Schrum asEd Kanisky is Carl's brother, an overweightmortician who loves to play practical jokes. Ed was a recurring character in seasons one and two, then got married and was written out of the series.
• Patrick Collins asTim Donovan is Joey and Matthew's father, amerchant seaman. Joey reunited with Tim in New Orleans in season four (when Tim was played byFred McCarren). Joey went to live with Tim and Matthew in the beginning of season six, when Tim decided to get a job in New York City. After realizing he could not handle a 9-to-5 job, Tim decided he wanted to go back to sea and Joey returned to Nell and Addy along with Matthew.
• Jack Fletcher asErwin J. Swackhammer was a man who would annoy the Kanisky household in various ways, the most notable of which occurred when he was the manager of the telephone company and had Nell arrested and jailed. After five episodes, Swackhammer disappeared with no explanation.
• Harrison Page asHamilton Storm is a news reporter who appeared occasionally during seasons one and two; he appeared more concerned with his appearance than giving the news.

The show was produced byAlan Landsburg Productions (renamed asReeves Entertainment Group in 1985). The US syndication rights are held byNBCUniversal Television Distribution, the successor company to original syndicator MCA TV.Fremantle owns the international rights, as they ownThames Television, which acquiredReeves Entertainment Group in 1990. The creators of the show were Mort Lachman and Sy Rosen. The series was taped atMetromedia Square in Hollywood before a studio audience.

Over its run, the series used two different theme songs. The first was composed by Bob Christianson with lyrics by Bob Garrett and Marley Sims; two versions of this song were used, one for the first season and a new recording for the second. A new theme, with music byJay Graydon and lyrics byRichard Page, was introduced in the third season and used for the remainder of the show's run. The new theme has similarities to the first but with a more positive attitude. Carter performed both themes.

Carter distanced herself from the show following its run. “I don't want to go to my grave being known as the girl from 'Gimme a Break,’” she told The New York Times in 1988. “That wasn't me; it was just a job.”^[6]

The show received mixed reviews from critics when it premiered. Writing for theWashington Post, Tom Shales wrote an especially scathing review of the pilot episode. “I wish I could sue NBC for the grievous consternation, intestinal distress and aggravated low moaning I have suffered as a result of ‘Gimme a Break,’” Shales wrote, going on to criticize the show’s sex jokes and what he found to be the racial stereotypes embodied by Carter’s character. “If I thought television could get substantially worse than this, I am not sure I would have the courage or desire ever to turn the set on again,” Shales concluded.^[7]

By contrast, theNew York Times found the show promising, praising the performances of Carter and Sweet and the way the show balanced wisecracks with bits of seriousness. “The abrupt changes in tone are handled adroitly,” John J. O’Connor wrote. “Given some supportive scripts, Miss Carter and Mr. Sweet could insure a good run for this series.”^[8]

The show has been insyndication since 1985. Reruns have also aired nationally onWWOR EMI Service andUSA.^{[9][10][11][12]} U.S. distribution rights are owned byNBCUniversal Syndication Studios, successor in interest to previous syndicator MCA TV. Reruns of the series are a mainstay of many ofSinclair Broadcast Group'sThe CW,MeTV andMyNetworkTV stations, especially in low-traffic time periods, due to the low-cost barter setup of the now defunct The Program Exchange.

Antenna TV aired the show from January 2, 2018, until December 31, 2021.Cozi TV started airing the show from January 3, 2022, to December 2023.

Tubi acquired all seasons of the show on February 1, 2022, and it was available until January 31, 2024.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment released a three-discDVD of the complete first season ofGimme a Break! on February 14, 2006, available in the United States only. The Complete Series is now available in the US.

Visual Entertainment (under license from FremantleMedia) released the first two seasons ofGimme a Break! on DVD in Canada in 2006–07. In 2009, VEI announced that they plan on releasing the entire series in a complete series box set in 2010.^[13] VEI releasedGimme a Break! The Complete Series on DVD in Canada on July 20, 2010.^[14] As of 2013, these releases have been discontinued and are out of print.

Originally airing onLa Cinq, the series is calledAllô Nelly bobo (Hello Nelly bobo) in 1991. Later, as part of a block calledClub Dorothée under the titleTrois filles à la maison (Three Girls at Home) onTF1 in 1993.

Airing onCanale 5, the series is calledLa piccola grande Nell (The Little Big Nell).

Simply Media TV Ltd released the first and second series in the UK, although the series has never been broadcast on British television.

Nell Carter received two Emmy nominations as Best Actress in a Comedy Series.^[15] and two Golden Globe nominations as Best Actress in a Television Series-Comedy or Musical.^[16]

• Gimme a Break! atIMDb

• 1980s American black sitcoms
• 1981 American television series debuts
• 1987 American television series endings
• American English-language television shows
• NBC sitcoms
• American television series about families
• Television series by Alan Landsburg Productions
• Television series by Universal Television
• Television shows set in Los Angeles

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