ClassicTVMan1981X
Screenwriter
This show, which featured Valerie Harper (obviously) -- better known for her 1974-79 CBS vehicle, Rhoda (a spin-off from The Mary Tyler Moore Show) -- seems poised for a DVD release, but I am wondering if she is one of those not approving of it yet?
As the story goes, Harper's tenure on the series managed to survive two seasons (her character on the show was said to have died in a car crash). Then, for the 1987-88 season the show changed its name to Valerie's Family. Harper's pay dispute and the obvious continuing distrust with the Lorimar brass led to the series changing its name again for the 1988-89 season, this time to Hogan Family.
This is also notable for being the only Lorimar / Miller-Boyett series that did not have theme music by Jesse Frederick and Bennett Salvay (even though they did score stock music on some episodes), who composed for such other shows for these two associated entities as Perfect Strangers, Full House and Family Matters. Instead, the show's theme music, titled "Together Through the Years," was composed by Charles Fox (lyrics by Stephen Geyer; sung by Roberta Flack), who had written theme tunes for Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and The Love Boat. Likewise, this was Charles Fox's only foray for a show produced by Miller-Boyett under Lorimar. The production team broke off from Paramount Television (and Edward Milkis) after Happy Days was canceled in 1984.
~Ben