SANFORD ARMS: PHIL'S ASSERTION SCHOOL (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series, a spin-off of "Sanford and Son," about widower Phil Wheeler and his attempts to run a hotel in Fred Sanford's former home with the help of his two children.
In this episode, Phil tells Bubba about his latest money-making scheme, an "assertion training" program. Angie heads out to spend the evening with her new friend Travis, a lawyer, and Nat returns home with a cage of hamsters and convinces Phil to defy the hotel's no-pets policy and allow them to stay. Phil's "best student," the highly nervous Willis Timmons, arrives for his assertion lesson, though they are interrupted by Esther, who is horrified by the presence of rodents at the Sanford Arms. Phil tries to pass her off as one of his program's greatest success stories. Willis reveals that he is suing Phil for fraud, feeling that he has not gained any confidence from the lessons.
Phil meets Travis and is pleased when the young man offers him his legal services. Angie reveals that Travis is in fact gay. Nat takes a non-judgmental position, though Bubba is far less open-minded; when Esther announces that she intends to sue Phil for keeping "rats" at the hotel, Phil realizes that he must overcome his doubts about homosexuals and accept Travis' help. When Willis next arrives, Travis pretends to be another one of Phil's assertion-training students and agrees the program is not working for him either. He reacts with awe when Willis explains that he is suing. Willis finally finds his confidence as he boldly orders Phil to give Travis a "refund" and then decides to drop his lawsuit, realizing that the training seems to have worked after all. Phil praises Travis' clever idea and declares that they are friends. Nat manipulates Esther into allowing his pets to stay at the Arms. Later, Willis returns to the hotel and demands a room, explaining that his newly-assertive attitude did not go over well with his wife. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: November 30, 1999 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:13
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 122942
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: LGBTQ+ Collection - Comedy; African-American Collection - Comedy; Hotels
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1977
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Bernie Orenstein … Executive Producer, Created by
- Saul Turteltaub … Executive Producer, Created by
- Bud Yorkin … Executive Producer
- Woody Kling … Producer
- Normand C. Hopps … Associate Producer
- Dick Harwood … Director
- Gene Farmer … Writer
- David Panich … Writer
- Ray Galton … Based on the British series created by
- Alan Simpson … Based on the British series created by
- Henry Mancini … Music by
- Teddy Wilson … Cast, Phil Wheeler
- Tina Andrews … Cast, Angie Wheeler
- John Earl … Cast, Nat Wheeler
- Don Bexley … Cast, Bubba Bexley
- La Wanda Page … Cast, Aunt Esther Anderson
- Paul B. Price … Cast, Willis Timmons
- Bebe Drake-Hooks … Cast, Jeannie
- Lisle Wilson … Cast, Travis