Robert Guillaume Show, The – Nostalgia Central

1 9 8 9 (USA)
12 x 30 minute episodes

Former Soap and Benson star Robert Guillaume portrayed marriage counsellor Edward Sawyer, who could have used some counselling himself in this short-lived ABC comedy.

For one thing, he was divorced, a fact he didn’t mention to most of his nutty clients. Moreover, the woman he was dating, his new secretary Ann (Wendy Phillips), was white, which caused continuing problems with his opinionated father, Henry (Hank Rolike).

The Robert Guillaume Show was, in fact, the first American television series to feature the principal characters in an interracial relationship between a black man and a white woman.

ABC said they were unconcerned about any possible controversy, but the network still eased into the relationship – Their first date wasn’t until episode six, and the inevitable first kiss didn’t come until the ninth episode.

Pamela (Kelsey Scott) and William (Marc Joseph) were Edward’s barely-under-control teenage children.

Unfortunately, the writing was generic, unoriginal and banal. Guillaume deserved much better.

Robert Guillaume died on 24 October 2017, aged 89.

Edward Sawyer
Robert Guillaume
Ann Sherr
Wendy Phillips
Henry Sawyer
Hank Rolike
Pamela Sawyer
Kelsey Scott
William Sawyer
Marc Joseph

Episodes

Hello Again | Together Again | Drive, He Said | Guaranteed Not to Shrink | Educating Ann | Fast Friends | All That Shimmers | They’re Here | You Win Some, You Lose Some | First Date | The Day After the Night Before | A Piece of the Rock