| The Hathaways | |
|---|---|
 From left, Charlie, Enoch, Peggy Cass as Elinore Hathaway, and Candy, 1962 | |
| Starring | Peggy Cass Jack Weston Mary Grace Canfield Harvey Lembeck Barbara Perry |
| Theme music composer | Herbert W. Spencer |
| Composer | Herbert W. Spencer |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Robert Sparks |
| Producer | Ezra Stone |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies | Screen Gems, in association with Gloucester Productions, Inc. |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | October 6, 1961 – March 30, 1962 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
The Hathaways is a 26-episode[citation needed] situation comedy, which aired on ABC from October 6, 1961,[1] to August 31, 1962,[1][2] or March 30, 1962,[citation needed] starring Peggy Cass and Jack Weston as suburban Los Angeles "parents" to a trio of performing common chimpanzees. Weston portrayed Walter Hathaway, a flabby real estate agent. Cass is his zany bride Elinore, "mother" and booking agent to the Marquis Chimps, named Candy, Charlie, and Enoch. The chimps had earlier appeared on CBS's The Ed Sullivan Show, a Jack Benny special in 1959 and several commercials in 1960.[3] Executive producer Robert Sparks decided to develop a series focusing on the chimpanzees after he saw them on the Benny program.[4]
Others in the cast were Harvey Lembeck as Jerry Roper, the chimps' agent,[1] Barbara Perry as Thelma Brockwood, Mary Grace Canfield as Amanda Allison, and Belle Montrose as Mrs. Harrison.[2]
Ratings for the Screen Gems series[1] were so low that ABC had largely to self-sponsor the program (although the series was sponsored on alternate weeks, throughout most of the season, by Ralston Purina). The writers included Tom Adair and James B. Allardice; story consultants were Hugh Wedlock and Howard Snyder, who co-wrote the premiere episode with Dick Wesson.[citation needed]
The series was broadcast on Fridays from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.[2]
- ^ a b c d McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 363. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ^ a b c Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (7th ed.). New York: The Ballentine Publishing Group. p. 429. ISBN 0-345-42923-0.
- ^ TVparty, The Hathaways: http://www.tvparty.com/fall61.html
- ^ Adams, Val (March 12, 1961). "TV-Radio News: 'Playhouse 90': Dramas Will Be Re-Run This Summer Over C.B.S.". The New York Times. p. A 19. Retrieved November 19, 2024.