Thursday, November 23, 2017

What Might've Been: The Royal Family (1991)

You might say that Eddie Murphy wanted to give something back to television. A decade after he'd been launched into superstardom on NBC's Saturday Night Live, Murphy was moving into the creative side of the business. However, his first series as a producer didn't end so well.

The Royal Family reunited Murphy, serving as a writer and executive producer, with 2 of his "Harlem Nights" co-stars, Redd Foxx & Della Reese. For Foxx, it was his first series since Sanford, and this time, he was playing a happily married retiree, who'd just ended his career in the post office.

Misfortune, however, threw shade on the series. A month into the season, Foxx suffered a heart attack while in the studio taping a future episode. Some of the crew thought he was just fooling around, just like Fred Sanford would pretend to have those heart attacks on Sanford & Son in the 70's, but, no, this was the real thing. Foxx passed away later that night, and production was suspended while the show's writers tried to figure out how to keep the show going. The first solution was to bring in Jackee Harry (ex-227), who originally was cast as the sister of Victoria (Reese), but then, when production resumed, her role was changed to that of the heretofore unseen oldest daughter.

Ballgame over.

Of course, Reese would rebound with Touched By An Angel, and Harry with Sister, Sister. Co-star Larenz Tate would go on to a successful film career (i.e. "Menace II Society"). Reese passed away earlier this week, reunited with Foxx in sitcom heaven.

Never got to see the show, so there's no rating. We'll leave you with a sample from the pilot.

3 comments:

Hal said...

This is a sad "what if". Redd Foxx had been through 3 TV flops in a row and had his well-publicized IRS troubles in 1989, but a good supporting role in Murphy's HARLEM NIGHTS working with Reese led to him getting another prime time chance in 1991. Hadn't gelled yet in its first few episodes, but looked promising, and might well have given Foxx the kind of encore that Sherman Hemsley got in AMEN if not for Foxx's untimely death. Chemistry between Foxx and Reese was strong.

Hal said...

One correction: after SANFORD in 1980 Redd did have THE REDD FOXX SHOW in early 1986, which was massively retooled every on and failed opposite 227 on NBC on Saturdays.

hobbyfan said...

Victim of typecasting, perhaps?