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Valerie/Valerie's Family/Hogan Family (1 Viewer)

ClassicTVMan1981X

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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
 

CraigF

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Wow, I came across a reference to Valerie Harper/Hogan Family in an episode of another TV show (Weeds S8, Andy referred to it in his often oblique manner) last night and I didn't get it at all. That only happens for 80s and 90s TV, which I have seen virtually none of i.e. I know the older and the newer stuff. And here you mention it today...I totally forgot about it until I saw the thread title. Had never heard of the show before, had only heard of VH in TMTMS and Rhoda.
 

Dave Lawrence

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ClassicTVMan1981X said:
As the story goes, Harper's tenure on the series only lasted one short season from the spring to summer of 1986 (her character on the show was said to have died in a car crash). As a result, the show changed its name to Valerie's Family that fall.

Not sure where you heard that "story" but Valerie appeared in the show's 1st 2 seasons; not just the 1st.
 

bretmaverick2

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I remember enjoying that show a lot! With Valerie. I have to admit that Sandy Duncan was never a favorite actress of mine and it kinda ruined the post Valerie episodes for me.


But I may pick up the seasons that she actually appears in.
 

albert_m2

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this wasn't one of the bigger 80s sitcoms (when was it even in syndication??). I can't imagine a dvd set selling may copies.
 

Oliver Ravencrest

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I definitely would buy this series, either as individual season sets or in a complete series box. I always like Harper as an actress and was sorry to see her go. Duncan was a good replacement and the entire cast had great chemistry together. Haven't seen it in a long time but remember it being very funny.
 

David Rain

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IIRC, the show briefly changed networks in it's final season. It was also in rerun syndication a few times over the years. I don't ever recall any network airing the entire series, though. It does star Jason Bateman so that might bring it a few sales if it's ever released on DVD.
 

MatthewA

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Last time I heard ABC Family tried to rerun it several years ago and dumped it after two or three weeks. Didn't they start with the Sandy Duncan episodes?


I never watched this show—Mom and Dad made me go to bed after ALF, and I don't remember them rerunning it very heavily in local syndication, nor can I even remember which, if any, station in my hometown market had the rights—but it seemed like it looked at least slightly smarter than your average Miller-Boyett show. When they went into Very Special Episode-land, it seemed they went to some dark places few of the others would dare to tread, particularly when their friend Rich
was diagnosed with AIDS. Other sitcoms tackled that topic—Mr. Belvedere, Designing Women and The Golden Girls come to mind—but none would dare give the virus to a character who wasn't a one-shot.
And anything with Edie McClurg at least has that going for it; she was the best thing about Small Wonder and she left that because network shows pay better than syndicated ones.


Too bad they'll probably never do an extra feature about the lawsuit if they actually do release it. The studio lawyers would never go for it. :D


Meanwhile, since you mentioned Jason Bateman, where's It's Your Move? That's only one season, and it would be perfect for Shout! Factory.

Here's the theme in stereo (where available) from the last season, to show how much the cast changed:

 

Oliver Ravencrest

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I love Edie, she was great in everything I saw her in.


The episode I remember the most was "One of a Kind" about Valerie's mean Aunt.
 

clambake

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MatthewA said:
Meanwhile, since you mentioned Jason Bateman, where's It's Your Move? That's only one season, and it would be perfect for Shout! Factory.
Yes. Totally underrated show. I remember when I was a kid how popular it was with my group of friends.


I was a fan of The Hogan Family too, but I think I must have missed a lot of the last season because I don't remember seeing the 'Lloyd Hogan' episodes.
 

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