| Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Created by |
|
| Developed by | Norman Lear |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Barry White |
| Opening theme | "Premiere Occasion" |
| Composer | Earle Hagen |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 325 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Viva Knight |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Production companies | Filmways T.A.T. Communications Company |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syndicated |
| Release | January 5, 1976 – July 1, 1977 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman is an American satirical soap opera that was broadcast on weeknights from January 1976 to July 1977. The syndicated series follows the eponymous Mary Hartman, a small-town Ohio housewife attempting to cope with various bizarre and sometimes violent incidents occurring in her daily life. The series was produced by Norman Lear, directed by Joan Darling, Jim Drake, Nessa Hyams, and Giovanna Nigro, and starred Louise Lasser, Greg Mullavey, Dody Goodman, Norman Alden, Mary Kay Place, Graham Jarvis, Debralee Scott, and Victor Kilian. The series writers were Gail Parent and Ann Marcus.[1]
Developed by Lear with the intention of examining the effects of consumerism on the American housewife, the series was filmed at KTLA Studios in Los Angeles. The show's title, featuring the title character's name stated twice, is a reference to Lear's observation that soap opera dialogue tended to be repeated.
In 2004 and 2007, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was ranked number 21 and number 26 respectively on "TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever."[2][3]
TV Guide ranked the death of Coach Leroy Fedders, who drowns in a bowl of Mary's chicken soup in the first season, 97th on its list of the 100 Greatest T.V. Moments of All Time.[4]
- ^ Barliant, Claire (October 10, 2010). "From a Waxy Yellow Buildup to a Nervous Breakdown: The Fleeting Existence of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman". East of Borneo. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
- ^ "TV Guide's 25 Top Cult Shows – TannerWorld Junction". TannerWorld Junction. May 26, 2004. Archived from the original on January 4, 2009.
- ^ "TV Guide Names the Top Cult Shows Ever – Today's News: Our Take". TV Guide. TV Guide. June 29, 2007.
- ^ "TV's Top 100 Episodes of All Time". TV Guide. June 15, 2009. pp. 34–49.