NANNY, THE: THE DINNER PARTY (TV)
Summary
One in this clash-of-cultures comedy series about Fran Fine, a flamboyant, wisecracking Jewish woman from Queens employed as a nanny by the upper-crust widower Maxwell Sheffield of Park Avenue. In this episode, Fran continues to celebrate her new status as Mrs. Sheffield-to-be, as does Niles, who informs C.C. of the engagement in a thoroughly humiliating manner. As his original ring was stolen by a mugger, Maxwell takes Fran to her Uncle Stanley's Jeweler's Row shop to find a new diamond, though they soon decide that his wares are not to their taste and head to Cartier instead. C.C. barely hides her disgust as Fran reads the announcement in the newspaper and then receives an invitation for a fancy party, excited to attend her first formal event as Maxwell's fiancée. When she goes to an upscale clothing store with Val and Sylvia, though, she is treated with disdain by the snooty salesgirl, while back at home Niles continues to enjoy C.C.'s distress. At the party, Fran attempts to charm Maxwell's associates and is pleased when she seems to be fitting in, but she then overhears two maids gossiping about the partygoers' unkind comments behind her back.
Fran frets to her mother that she is not good enough for Maxwell after all, though Sylvia tells her to take pride in "daring to be different." Maxwell, unaware of the tension, announces that he has invited all of the same people over for dinner at their home, and Fran heads to a park to drown her sorrows in a bucket of chicken. When a homeless man inquires about her troubles, she tells him that she is a "complete loser" and is sure to disappoint her fiancé, but she admits that she is lucky in many other ways and gives the man their home address, telling them to stop by if he needs a hot meal. Later, none of Maxwell's friends – slash financial backers – arrive for the dinner, and Fran confesses that they have all scorned him because they believe him to be marrying beneath his status. Maxwell disappoints C.C. yet again by declaring that he does not care about others' opinions, and when the "homeless man" arrives in their midst, Maxwell informs Fran that he is actually Preston Collier, an extremely wealthy entrepreneur. Fran is relieved when Preston declares that he will invest in any of Maxwell's future projects because of her genuine kindness towards him, while elsewhere "Grandma" Sylvia continues bonding with the kids. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: November 30, 1999 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:22:45
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 120634
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Romance
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1993-1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Diane Wilk … Executive Producer
- Fran Drescher … Executive Producer, Created by
- Peter Marc Jacobson … Executive Producer, Created by
- Robert Sternin … Consulting Executive Producer, Developed by
- Prudence Fraser … Consulting Executive Producer, Developed by
- Frank Lombardi … Co-Executive Producer
- Caryn Lucas … Co-Executive Producer
- Jeffrey B. Hodes … Supervising Producer
- Nastaran Dibai … Supervising Producer
- Kathy Landsberg … Producer
- Dorothy Lyman … Producer, Director
- Ivan Menchell … Producer, Writer
- Jayne Hamil … Co-Producer
- Janice Minsberg … Co-Producer
- Rick Shaw … Co-Producer
- Howard Preiser … Associate Producer
- Timothy Thompson … Music by
- Ann Hampton Callaway … Theme Music by
- Roz Kern … Choreographer
- Fran Drescher … Cast, Fran Fine
- Charles Shaunessy … Cast, Maxwell Sheffield
- Daniel Davis … Cast, Niles
- Lauren Lane … Cast, C.C. Babcock
- Nicholle Tom … Cast, Margaret 'Maggie' Sheffield
- Benjamin Salisbury … Cast, Brighton Sheffield
- Madeline Zima … Cast, Grace Sheffield
- Renee Taylor … Cast, Sylvia Fine
- Rachel Chagall … Cast, Val Toriello
- Dick Martin … Cast, Preston Collier
- Rowena Balos … Cast, Saleswoman
- Paul Beringer … Cast, Jewellery Salesman
- Don Condon … Cast, Party Guest
- Adeline Drescher … Cast, Maid #1
- Morty Drescher … Cast, Uncle Stanley
- Jennifer Edwards … Cast, Society Woman #2
- Jean Ford … Cast, Maid #2