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Family Affair: Season 01
Part of Series:
Family Affair [TV Series]

Includes Seasons:
Family Affair: Season 01
Season One of Family Affair is by and large a "shakedown cruise" for wealthy consulting engineer Bill Davis (Brian Keith) and his new, ready-made family. After the deaths of his brother and sister-in-law in an accident, Bill is placed in charge of the couple's three children: 6-year-old twins Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Jody (Johnnie Whitaker), and 15-year-old Cissy (Kathy Garver). The responsibilities of instant parenthood understandably puts a crimp in Bill's swinging-bachelor lifestyle, but he loves the children enough to grit his teeth and make the best of things--as does his "veddy British" gentleman's gentleman Mr. Giles French (Sebastian Cabot), who has quite a time overcoming the shock of being, for all intents and purposes, a "nanny." Stories during Season One deal with Bill's trials and tribulations dealing with such necessities as getting the kids enrolled in school and coping with the orphaned youngsters' insecurities arising from spending the previous several months being shunted from one relative to the next. The most poignant moments find Buffy, Jody and Cissy recalling their deceased parents--and it is particularly compelling to witness Buffy's obsessive attachment to her doll Mrs. Beasley, the one remaining viable link between herself and her late mother. On a more upbeat note, despite his newly acquired parental obligations Bill still manages to find time to squire several lovely young ladies, played by such attractive actresses as Mary Murphy, Rita Gam and Kathleen Crowley--not to mention Judith Landon, the then wife of series star Brian Keith. Among the noteworthy guest stars showing up in Season One are Myrna Loy, cast as a once-wealthy dowager reduced to domestic work; Brian Donlevy as a down-to-earth "hardhat" who turns out to be a millionaire architect; Richard Loo as a stuffy Chinese diplomat; Sterling Holloway as a window washer who happens to be a whiz at math; and John Agar as a charismatic rodeo star. This is also the season in which John Williams makes nine guest appearances as Mr. French's brother Nigel French, who signs on as temporary replacement in the Davis household while his brother briefly serves the Royal Family (in real life, Sebastian Cabot had been forced to briefly bow out of the series due to illness). Though nowhere near as popular as its Monday-night competition Peyton Place, Family Affair still managed to carve out a comfortable ratings niche and accumulate a loyal audience during its Freshman season on CBS, ending up as the nation's 14th highest-rated program. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Includes Episodes:
Family Affair: Buffy
The first episode of the first season of Family Affair finds the carefree lifestyle of globetrotting consulting engineer (and swinging bachelor) Bill Davis (Brian Keith) scattered to the four winds when his newly orphaned nephew Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) and niece Buffy (Anissa Jones) arrive on the doorstep of his Manhattan apartment. The six-year-old twins had been living with their Aunt Fran (Louise Latham), but her husband can't stand kids and so Bill is appointed the new surrogate father. He isn't keen on the prospect, nor is Bill's veddy British butler Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) thrilled at the prospect of being a "nanny". By episode's end, of course, the kids have won Bill over, but not before a crisis wherein Buffy, feeling completely unwanted, hides in the basement of the apartment building. And there's another big surprise in store for Mr. French at fadeout time ("Good Heavens! I AM a nanny!"). In this episode, Philip Ober appears as Bill's business partner Ted Gaynor, a role later played by John Hubbard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Family Affair: Jody & Cissy
Not quite over the shock of becoming "surrogate father" to his orphaned nephew Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) and niece Buffy (Anissa Jones), Bill (Brian Keith) comes home from a job in Peru to find that his household has increased by one more relative: Buffy and Jody's 15-year-old sister Cissy (Kathy Garver). At first, Cissy despairs over the likelihood that Uncle Bill will send her back to Terre Haute, but ultimately he relents and welcomes her to the fold. Unfortunately, thanks to Cissy's take-charge attitude with her twin siblings, Bill's butler Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) now feels like the proverbial fifth wheel--and promptly backs his bags in preparation of leaving for good! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Family Affair: The Gift Horse
As a homecoming surprise for Bill (Brian Keith), who's on assignment in East Africa, Buffy and Jody pool their savings to buy their uncle a gift. Unfortunately, they can't get much with their combined bankroll of $1.07--that is, until genial Hansom Cab driver E.P. McGovern (Paul Hartman) offers them his horse, "Rose of Killarney." Rose, alas turns out to be a worn-out old nag, leaving Uncle Bill with the problem of unloading the gift without hurting the twins' feelings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Family Affair: The Matter of School
Though he has enrolled the twins in public school, Bill (Brian Keith) decides that Cissy (Kathy Garver) would be better served in a high-class boarding school, namely Bryerfield in Connecticut. Misunderstanding Bill's intentions, Cissy concludes that she is not welcome in the Davis household--a conclusion seemingly confirmed when Bill unwittingly breaks his promise to take Cissy to a fancy dinner at "21" over the weekend. Hoping to mend Cissy's broken heart, Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) hitchhike all the way to Connecticut to keep her company. With this episode, John Hubbard assumes the role of Bill's business partner Ted Gaynor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Family Affair: Marmalade
At the suggestion of Bill's current lady friend Ellen Latimer (Mary Murphy), who works for a major ad agency, Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) is chosen as commercial spokesman for a new breakfast treat, Dunholt Marmalade. The usually unflappable Mr. French basks in the fame and adulation, and eagerly looks forward to embarking on a national promotion tour--until he finally tastes the marmalade! Richard Peel makes his first series appearance as French's friend and fellow butler Withers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Family Affair: Room With a Viewpoint
Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Cissy (Kathy Garver) arrive home to find that their bedroom has been completely redecorated by Nedra Walcott (Kathleen Crowley), the current amour of their Uncle Bill (Brian Keith). Cissy is thrilled, but Buffy hates all the changes--and she especially miffed that Cissy has her own telephone (a pink Princess model) and she doesn't. Trouble is, Buffy refuses to tell anyone why she is angry, leaving Bill in yet another quandary. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Family Affair: Mrs. Beasley, Where Are You?
Melancholy grips the Davis household when Buffy's beloved doll Mrs. Beasley is accidentally knocked off the terrace. As Bill (Brian Keith) and Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) conduct a frantic search, Buffy (Anissa Jones) happens upon another little girl, clutching a Mrs. Beasley lookalike named "Effie Boots"--and jumps to the obvious conclusion. Joan Vohs, here cast as Bill's girlfriend Diane, would show up in later episodes as the twins' teacher Mrs. Scofield. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Family Affair: Who's Afraid of Nural Shpeni
With Bill returning home from an assignment in Beirut, Mr. French decides to impress his boss by cooking him an authentic Lebanese meal--and to that end he takes lessons from female restaurant owner Nural Shpeni (Magda Harout). Unfortunately, Nural's brothers insist that, according to Lebanese tradition, Mr. French is now obligated to marry their sister! It takes the wry diplomacy of another Lebanese gentleman, Dr. Sakis (Abraham Sofaer), to rescue Mr. French from a trip down the aisle. This episode is noteworthy for the fact that virtually every supporting character is Middle Eastern, including the cop on the beat (played by future Alice costar Vic Tayback; it also marks the final TV appearance of veteran character actor Nestor Paiva (Creature from the Black Lagoon et. al.) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Family Affair: A Matter for Experts
Miss Bryant (Sarah Selby) and Dr. Morse (Jena Engstrom), respectively the vice-principal and child psychologist of the twins' grade school, are convinced that Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) are spending far too much time together. Acting upon this, Bill (Brian Keith) reluctantly agrees to let the "experts" separate the twins so they can form outside friendships. Though Jody adapts to this new arrangement, Buffy does not--and before long both kids are have developed mysterious (and mysteriously convenient) illnesses that keep them away from school. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Family Affair: Beware, The Other Woman
Bill's former girlfriend Louise Marshall (Rita Gam) comes back into his life, apparently with marriage in mind. Thanks to the dire warnings of Cissy's friend Sharon (Sharon Alberoni), a child of divorce, the kids become convinced that Bill (Brian Keith) will send them back to Terre Haute should he wed Louise--and they aren't about to let that happen. This episode was written by Elroy Schwartz), the brother of Gilligan's Island producer-creator Sherwood Schwartz. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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FAMILY AFFAIR-SEASON 1 (DVD/5 DISC/30 EPISODES/1966-1967) DVD

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