FAMOUS TEDDY Z, THE: PILOT {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this short-lived comedy series about Teddy Zakalokis, a naïve, Greek-American twentysomething whose life is upended when he unexpectedly becomes a top Hollywood talent agent. In this episode, young Teddy, fresh from the Army, heads to his temp job in the mailroom at the Unlimited Talent Agency, though none of the high-profile employees seem to believe that he is genuinely employed at their business. Teddy's boss Richie offers him a full-time gig, but Teddy reluctantly explains that his traditional relatives expect him to take a permanent position at the family bakery. Richie advises him to consider the matter, adding that he should not waste his time pursuing the haughty and attractive Laurie Parr. Upstairs, Teddy chats with an elderly man and is then summoned by top agent Al Floss, who informs him that he has just been "schmoozing" with the chairman of the board, Abe Werkfinder.
Teddy returns home to his worrywart grandmother Deena and his 12-year-old brother Aristotle, and he tentatively breaks the news that he wishes to stay on at Unlimited Talent, confessing that he joined the Army specifically to avoid working at the bakery. Deena reacts with melodramatic despair and Teddy hastily promises to quit, but at work the next day, Richie dispatches him to LAX to retrieve top client and world-famous actor Harland Keyvo. After fighting their way through a crowd of paparazzi, Teddy takes offense to Keyvo's rudely imperious demeanor, and Keyvo is shocked when the young "non-person" refuses to heed his demands. Back at the office, Al, Richie and Abe and the others are floored to learn that Keyvo, apparently impressed with the temp's bold attitude, has demanded that Teddy become his new agent. Despite Al's protests, Abe declares that they will follow the celebrity's wishes and that Al himself will train the inexperienced young man, and a jubilant Teddy requests his own secretary: Laurie. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: November 30, 1999 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:23:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:15872
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Talent agents
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1989-1990
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Hugh Wilson … Executive Producer, Director, Created by, Writer
- Richard Dubin … Supervising Producer
- Freddye Chapman … Associate Producer
- Jon Spector … Associate Producer
- Steve Tyrell … Music by
- Stephanie Tyrell … Theme Music by
- Guy Moon … Theme Music by
- Jon Cryer … Cast, Teddy Zakalokis
- Erica Yohn … Cast, Deena Zakalokis
- Jane Sibbett … Cast, Laurie Parr
- Milton Selzer … Cast, Abe Werkfinder
- Tom La Grua … Cast, Richie Herby
- Josh Blake … Cast, Aristotle Zakalokis
- Alex Rocco … Cast, Al Floss
- Dennis Lipscomb … Cast, Harland Keyvo
- Nick Segal … Cast, Marty Kane
- Jack Armstrong … Cast, Marty Horn
- David Selburg … Cast, Senior Agent
- Andrew Philpot … Cast, Al Floss' Secretary