TRYING TIMES: A GOOD LIFE {SERIES FINALE} (TV)
Summary
The final episode in this comedy anthology series that offers a humorous look at life's "trying times." This comedy, written by Terrence McNally, stars Robert Klein as Buddy Amber, a man for whom smoking is a friend and a passion, a habit inextricably bound to the important moments and people in his life. After seven years of not smoking -- having quit to please everyone but himself -- middle-aged Buddy has decided to start smoking again. As he moves his reading chair into the garage, where he has been relegated by his wife, who keeps a smoke-free home, Buddy reflects on his lifelong relationship with cigarettes, and various periods of his life are seen is flashback: Buddy learns how to smoke in the boys' room of his grade school in the 1950s; his own small children, little anti-smoking terrorists, withhold respect and affection until he gives up his beloved vice; deciding to quit, he suffers acupuncture treatment, a support group, and analysis; his sexual interest in his wife diminishes because of hidden anger; he is reawakened to the joys of smoking by a woman with whom he's having an affair; he is driven (due to an unfortunate suggestion while under hypnosis treatment) to run naked through the streets of his neighborhood in search of a smoke; and he has a moving visit with his father, who is dying of emphysema.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Details
- NETWORK: KCET-TV (Los Angeles, CA) / PBS
- DATE: November 19, 1989 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:26:45
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:18075
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Cigarette habit - Comedy; Ciagarette smokers - Comedy; Comedy; Smoking - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1987, 1989
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Phylis Geller … Executive Producer
- Stephen Faigenbaum … Coordinating Producer
- Roberto Gerhard … Coordinating Producer
- Jon S. Denny … Producer, Developed by
- Sheldon Larry … Director
- Terrence McNally … Writer
- Eric Allaman … Music by
- James Newton Howard … Theme Music by
- Robert Klein … Cast, Buddy Amber
- Sheila McCarthy … Cast, Jenny Amber
- Eric Ayala … Cast, Young Benjie
- Dondee Spencer … Cast, Clarissa
- Anne Desalvo … Cast, Nancy
- Max Perlich … Cast, Older Benjie
- Al Ruscio … Cast, the Father
- David Alden … Cast
- Ahn, Ikson Suh (Ikson Suh Ahn) … Cast
- Roger Cudney … Cast
- Josephine Claudio … Cast
- John Sabol … Cast