Homefront (American TV series)
Homefront is an American television drama series created and produced by Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick in association with Lorimar Television for ABC. The show was set in the fictional city of River Run, Ohio in 1945, 1946, and 1947. The show's theme song, "Accentuate the Positive", was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer and performed by Jack Sheldon.[1]
| Homefront | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Lynn Marie Latham Bernard Lechowick |
| Starring | Kyle Chandler Sammi Davis Ken Jenkins Mimi Kennedy Tammy Lauren Sterling Macer, Jr. David Newsom Harry O'Reilly Wendy Phillips Kelly Rutherford Giuliana Santini John Slattery Jessica Steen Dick Anthony Williams Alexandra Wilson Hattie Winston |
| Theme music composer | Harold Arlen Johnny Mercer |
| Opening theme | "Accentuate the Positive" performed by Jack Sheldon |
| Composer(s) | Stewart Levin |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 42 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Roundelay Productions Latham-Lechowick Productions Lorimar Television |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | September 24, 1991 – April 26, 1993 |
Forty-two episodes were broadcast in the United States over two seasons from 1991 to 1993.[2] TV Guide, Abigail Van Buren, and fans showed determination in getting ABC to continue the show for a third season before it was cancelled.
Characters
Main
- Jeff Metcalf (Kyle Chandler): Earnest young baseball player for the Cleveland Indians who finds romance where he least expects it; son of Stephen and Anne Metcalf; younger brother of Hank and Linda Metcalf.
- Caroline Hailey (Sammi Davis): British war bride determined not to have any children.
- Mike Sloan, Sr. (Ken Jenkins): Steel manufacturer dumbfounded by the inroads that unionization makes among his employees.
- Ruth Sloan (Mimi Kennedy): Icy River Run socialite coming to grips with her Italian daughter-in-law; her only son, Mike, dies on his way home to Ohio.
- Ginger Szabo (Tammy Lauren): Passionate, fast-talking young woman with dreams of fame on stage or screen.
- Cpl. Robert Davis (Sterling Macer, Jr.; season 1): Decorated veteran who lands a job "on the line" at Sloan Industries but is isolated and belittled by racist co-workers; son of Abe and Gloria Davis; grandson of Rebecca Davis; great-great-grandson of a slave; served in Europe with the 761st Armored Battalion. In the second season he is joined by Perrette, his white French war bride.
- Lt. Hank Metcalf (David Newsom; season 1): Soldier who returns to River Run to find that everything has changed; son of Stephen and Anne Metcalf; older brother of Linda and Jeff Metcalf.
- Sgt. Charlie Hailey (Harry O'Reilly): Veteran who puts his battlefield skills to use for the local union.
- Anne Metcalf (Wendy Phillips): Widowed mother, displaced from work on the line at local steel manufacturer in September 1945; her world is turned on end when she falls in love again.
- Gina Sloan (Giuliana Santini): Italian war bride who arrives in the U.S. only to find that her husband, Mike Sloan, Jr., has been killed; Jewish Holocaust survivor.
- Linda Metcalf (Jessica Steen): Young woman who enjoys the fulfillment she finds in paying work; daughter of Stephen and Anne Metcalf; only sister of Hank and Jeff Metcalf; best friend of Ginger Szabo.
- Abe Davis (Dick Anthony Williams): Father whose confidence in the American dream is tested by his son's experiences with racism; great-grandson of a slave; son of Rebecca Davis, who was disappointed when he married a dark-skinned woman; husband of Gloria Davis; father of Robert Davis; talented photographer; once played baseball in the Negro League; employed by Mike and Ruth Sloan as a chauffeur and man-about-the-house; shares apartment with his wife; dreams of owning a restaurant; attends Bethany Baptist Church.
- Sarah Brewer (Alexandra Wilson; season 1): College co-ed romantically torn between her soldier, Hank Metcalf, and his brother, Jeff, whom she dated during the war; orphan; resident of boarding house; Protestant; studying to become a teacher.
- Gloria Davis (Hattie Winston): Housekeeper who aspires to own a restaurant; wife of Abe Davis; daughter-in-law of Rebecca Davis; mother of Robert Davis; employed by Mike and Ruth Sloan as a maid and cook; only missed a single day of work when her son was born; cared for Mike Sloan, Jr. throughout his childhood; member of Bethany Baptist choir.
- Al Kahn (John Slattery): No-nonsense union organizer who begins romancing Anne Metcalf; divorced, Jewish, possible former Communist sympathies, originally is interested in Anne's daughter.
- Perrette Davis (Perrey Reeves; season 2): The White French war bride of Robert Davis; daughter-in-law of Abe and Gloria Davis; granddaughter-in-law of Rebecca Davis.
- Judy Owens (Kelly Rutherford; season 2): Beautiful blonde bartender with a thing for baseball; parents are no longer alive; widowed when husband, Tom Owen, was shot down over the Pacific Ocean; lives in Clearwater, Florida, in apartment over the bar where she is employed; had affair with Mike Sloan Sr.
Recurring
Although Homefront operated largely around its main ensemble cast, guest stars were also featured. Notable repeat guests included:
- Sam Schenkkan (John DiSanti)
- Grandmother Davis (Montrose Hagins)
- Ed (Kevin Scott Allen)
- Father Dreher (Jonathan Terry)
- Jack (Randy Harrington)
- Coach Zelnick (James Gammon)
- Royal (Charles Fowlkes)
- Arthur Schillhab (Brian McNamara)
- Mr. Melon (Jack Dodson)
- Miss Wescott (Lela Ivey)
- Miss Watkins (Sylvia Short)
- Phil Havel (Sam Behrens)
- Bill Caswell (Robert Duncan McNeill)
- Jonas (Fred Pinkars)
- Jay Tweed (Geoffrey Blake)
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||
| 1 | 24 | September 24, 1991 | April 15, 1992 | ||
| 2 | 18 | September 17, 1992 | April 26, 1993 | ||
Production and crew
Lynn Marie Latham (creator/writer/executive producer), Bernard Lechowick (creator/writer/executive producer), David Jacobs (executive producer), Diane Messina Stanley (supervising producer/writer), Sharron Miller (director), Lorraine Senna (director), Mike Vejar (director), James Stanley (writer/producer), David Carson (director), Bruce Seth Green (director), Christopher Chulack (producer/director), Félix Enríquez Alcalá (director), and Joseph L. Scanlan (director).
Broadcast and syndication
Homefront was aired in the United States by the AmericanLife TV Network on Sundays at 10pm Eastern, but the network has since stopped airing the show.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | American Cinema Editors' Eddie Award | Best Edited Episode from a Television Series | Michael B. Hoggan and William B. Stich (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Nominated |
| 1993 | American Television Awards[3] | Best Dramatic Series | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress, Dramatic Series | Mimi Kennedy | Nominated | ||
| 1992 | Casting Society of America's Artios Award | Best Casting for TV, Pilot | Irene Mariano | Nominated |
| Best Casting for TV, Dramatic Episodic | Nominated | |||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Sammi Davis | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Best Television Series – Drama | Nominated | ||
| 1992 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite New TV Dramatic Series | Won | |
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Made for Television Movie | Christopher Chulack, David Jacobs, Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special | Ron Lagomarsino (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series | Jerry Gugliemotto and Barbara Ronci (For episode "Man, This Joint Is Jumping") | Won | ||
| Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Special | Jerry Gugliemotto and Georgina Williams (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special - Single-Camera Production | Michael B. Hoggan and William B. Stich (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Costuming for a Series | Chic Gennarelli and Lyn Paolo (For episode "At Your Age") | Won | ||
| Outstanding Costuming for a Miniseries or a Special | Nanrose Buchman, Chic Gennarelli and Lyn Paolo (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special | Anne D. McCulley and Dean E. Mitzner (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Nominated | ||
| 1993 | Outstanding Drama Series | Lynn Marie Latham, Bernard Lechowick, David Jacobs, Diane Messina Stanley, James Stanley and Christopher Chulack | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Bernard Lechowick (For episode "The Lacemakeres") | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series | Jerry Gugliemotto and Georgina Williams (For episode "Life Is Short") | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Costuming for a Series | Chic Gennarelli and Lyn Paolo (For episode "Like Being There When You're Not") | Won | ||
| Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special | Dean E. Mitzner and Tom Pedigo (For episode "The Traveling Lemo All-Stars") | Won | ||
| 1992 | Television Critics Association Award | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Nominated | |||
| Viewers for Quality Television Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series | Mimi Kennedy | Nominated | |
| Founder's Award | Lynn Marie Latham, Bernard Lechowick, David Jacobs, Diane Messina Stanley, James Stanley and Christopher Chulack | Won | ||
| 1993 | Writers Guild of America Award | Original Long Form | Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Won |
References
- "Music of Homefront". Homefrontondvd.com. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
- "Ultimate Homefront Episode Guide". homefront.html. Archived from the original on December 31, 2006.
- Lowry, Brian (April 16, 1993). "CBS leads noms for Emmy rival". Variety. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
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