Between MAUDE (1972-78) and GOLDEN GIRLS (185-92), the always brilliant Beatrice Arthur starred in AMANDA'S, a short-lived US 1983 version of the classic 12-episode Britcom FAWLTY TOWERS. Bea played the Amanda Cartwright, the American female version of Basil Fawlty - who ran a small seaside inn. While not awful, AMANDA'S was savaged by critics and ignored by viewers. I, of course, watched it religiously and even had each and every of the 13 episodes on VHS tape at one point. This was actually the second of three attempts to adapt FAWLTY for an American audience. The first was a 1978 pilot for ABC called SNAVELY and starred Harvey Korman in the John Cleese role. His wife Gladys was played by none other than Bea's future co-star and nemesis, Betty White. The third version was called PAYNE and ran for 9 episodes in 1999 on CBS. John Larroquette, JoBeth Williams and Julie Benz starred. I would love to revisit AMANDA'S one day.
1 comment:
I think I remember seeing this. But I was kept in a peanut-butter-induced haze for most of the 80s.
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