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HANGIN' WITH MR. COOPER: GLOBETROTTERS (TV)

Summary

One in this comedy series about Mark Cooper, an ex-NBA player and substitute teacher, and his roommates Robin and Vanessa.

The teachers throw a surprise retirement party for the elderly Nurse Bennett, and Mark finds himself in attendance. He is upset that the party is not in honor of his birthday that weekend, but he goes home to find that his roommates have planned him their own surprise party. As a present they give him four tickets to see the Harlem Globetrotters, much to his excitement. He recounts that he has tried to see the Globetrotters for many years, but various circumstances prevented him from doing so. He is determined not to let anything get in the way this time, and elects to take public transportation to reach the venue, accompanied by Vanessa and Tyler. They ride a subway together, much to Vanessa’s displeasure. The subway loses power and is forced to delay, upsetting Mark. After the event the others return home and eventually Mark, Vanessa, and Tyler get there as well, explaining what happened. They describe the even to him, further upsetting him that he was unable to attend.

The next day, Vanessa administers care to a patient who reveals that he is a member of the Globetrotters. She asks the Globetrotters to put on a special performance for Mark’s benefit, but he declines, citing that they only perform private shows for figures such as royalty; Vanessa tries to convince him that Mark is the monarch of a small African nation, claiming that he is in the United States studying medicine. This deception seems to work, and the Globetrotters arrange to perform in the gym for “King Marco.” Vanessa tells Mark about this arrangement and he is befuddled that he will have to pretend to be a king. He is initially skeptical but agrees to go along with the deception in order to see the Globetrotters. The gym opens up and a number of students arrive as well as Mark in a “regal” accoutrement. All of the students reinforce the disguise as the Globetrotters emerge to perform their routine. They ask that the national anthem of the nation supposedly represented by Mark be sung, placing him and Vanessa in an awkward position. They improvise a song on the spot, seemingly satisfying the Globetrotters. However, they soon reveal that they were not fooled by Mark’s disguise and know who he is, but sympathize with his many unsuccessful attempts to see them over the years; Geneva told them the truth and convinced them to come anyway. They continue their routine for everyone’s benefit. Includes commercials.

Details

  • NETWORK: ABC
  • DATE: February 9, 1996 8:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:27:55
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:42077
  • GENRE: Comedy
  • SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy; TV - Comedy
  • SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1992-1997
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV – Commercials – Centrum multivitamin supplement
    • TV – Commercials – Kraft salad dressing
    • TV – Commercials – Little Caesars pizza
    • TV – Commercials – McDonald’s restaurants
    • TV – Commercials – MetLife insurance
    • TV – Commercials – Orudis headache medicine
    • TV – Commercials – Wal-Mart department stores
    • TV – Commercials – Wendy’s restaurants
    • TV – Commercials – “A Kid in King Arthur’s Court” home video release
    • TV – Promos – “20/20”
    • TV – Promos – “Home Improvement”
    • TV – Promos – “Hudson Street”
    • TV – Promos – “Paine-Webber College Basketball”

CREDITS

  • Barry O'Brien … Executive Producer
  • Cheryl Alu … Executive Producer
  • William Bickley … Executive Producer
  • Michael Warren … Executive Producer
  • David Chambers … Supervising Producer
  • Suzy Friendly … Producer
  • Michael J. Morris … Producer
  • Dan Cross … Co-Producer
  • David Hoge … Co-Producer
  • Shari Hearn … Co-Producer
  • Kevin White … Co-Producer
  • Jay O'Connell … Associate Producer
  • Mark Linn-Baker … Director
  • Jeff Franklin … Created by, Writer
  • Gary Boren … Music by, Theme Music by
  • Steven Chesne … Music by, Theme Music by
  • Mark Curry … Cast, Mark Cooper
  • Raven-Symoné … Cast, Nicole Lee
  • Saundra Quarterman … Cast, Geneva Lee
  • Marquise Wilson … Cast, Tyler Foster
  • Omar Gooding … Cast, Earvin Rodman
  • Holly Robinson Peete (See also: Holly Robinson) … Cast, Vanessa Russell
  • Harlem Globetrotters, The … Cast, Themselves
  • Kevin Jackson … Cast, Ken Anderson
  • Rashaan Nall … Cast, Young Mark
  • Charles Walker … Cast, The Doctor
  • Edye Byrne … Cast, Nurse Bennett