Payne (TV series)

Payne
GenreSitcom
Created by
  • Judd Pilot
  • John Peaslee
Starring
ComposersScott Van Zen
Chris Wagner
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes9 (list of episodes)
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Production
Executive producers
  • Judd Pilot
  • John Peaslee
  • Jerry Leider
  • Richard Reisberg
  • John Larroquette
Producers
  • Tim Steele
  • Kevin Berg
Production locationsPiru Mansion, California
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseMarch 15 (1999-03-15) –
May 4, 1999 (1999-05-04)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Payne is a 1999 American sitcom adapted from the 1970s British television comedy Fawlty Towers. This adaptation, which was a mid-season replacement on CBS, originally aired from March 15 to May 4, 1999. It costars John Larroquette, who was also an executive producer for the series, and JoBeth Williams. Featured too as regular supporting characters are Julie Benz and Rick Batalla. Despite receiving the blessing of John Cleese, who reportedly agreed to be an "irregular cast member" and perform in a recurring role as a rival hotelier if Payne were renewed, the series was cancelled following the broadcast of its eighth episode.[1][2] A total of nine episodes were filmed, but one was not aired as part of the series' original presentation on CBS.[3]

Payne is the third unsuccessful attempt by American television producers to adapt and transplant a version of Fawlty Towers to the United States.[4] The first one, developed in 1978, is a 30-minute sitcom costarring Harvey Korman and Betty White.[5] Titled Snavely and directed by Hal Cooper, that production never progressed beyond the completion of a pilot.[4][6] The second series, Amanda's starring Bea Arthur, was broadcast in 1983 on ABC and lasted 10 episodes before it was cancelled.[4]

  1. ^ Allemang, John (1999). "TV comedy inflicts Payne and suffering", The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Ontario), March 17, 1999, p. C2. ProQuest Historical Newspapers.
  2. ^ "Finding 'Fawlty' With John Larroquette", The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona). March 15, 1999, p. D1. ProQuest.
  3. ^ Digital copies of all nine episodes of Payne are available for viewing on the streaming service YouTube, Google, Mountain View, California; originally posted by Jay Vanzil, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Strum, Charles (1999). "Payne attempts a 'darker, edgier' Fawlty: New series starring John Larroquette is the third try to reproduce the British hit for the U.S. market", The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, British Columbia), March 15, 1999, p. B8. ProQuest.
  5. ^ "Snavely 1978 Harvey Korman Betty White Fawlty Towers", YouTube, originally posted by Jay Vanzil, December 17, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  6. ^ "Snavely (1978)", catalog, Turner Classic Movies (TCM), Atlanta, Georgia; Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved December 30, 2019.