- McMillan & Wife
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McMillan & Wife 
McMillan & Wife title card marqueeGenre Crime drama Starring Rock Hudson
Susan Saint JamesTheme music composer Jerry Fielding Country of origin United States Language(s) English No. of seasons 6 No. of episodes 40 (List of episodes) Production Executive producer(s) Leonard B. Stern Producer(s) Paul Mason
Jon EpsteinRunning time Seasons one - two, 90 min. Seasons three-six, 120 min. Production company(s) Talent Associates-Norton Simon
Universal TVBroadcast Original channel NBC Original run September 17, 1971 – April 24, 1977 McMillan & Wife is a lighthearted American crime drama series that aired on NBC from September 17, 1971 to April 24, 1977. Starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James in the title roles, the series premiered in 90-minute episodes as part of the wheel series NBC Mystery Movie, in rotation with Columbo and McCloud. Initially airing on Wednesday night, the original line-up was shifted to Sundays in the second season, where it aired for the rest of its run.
Contents
Plot
McMillan & Wife revolved around a fortyish San Francisco police commissioner, Stewart McMillan (Rock Hudson) and his attractive, bright, but slightly daffy twentyish wife Sally (Susan Saint James). Often, the storylines featured Mac and Sally attending fashionable parties and charity benefits before solving robberies and murders. John Schuck appeared as Sgt. Charles Enright and Nancy Walker was Mildred, the couple's maid, both characters serving as comic relief.
Cast
Mac and Sally with a friend (played by Sheree North), 1972.
Actor Role Rock Hudson Stewart "Mac" McMillan Susan Saint James Sally Hull McMillan John Schuck Sergeant Charles Enright Nancy Walker Mildred Martha Raye Agatha Bill Quinn Police Chief Paulson Mildred Natwick Beatrice McMillan Linda Watkins Emily Hull Donna Mills Laura Richard Gilliland Sergeant Steve DiMaggio Gloria Stroock Maggie Maudie Prickett Mrs. Chandler Connie Sawyer Mrs. Goodbody Episodes
Main article: List of McMillan and Wife episodesPopularity
Like the other two original shows in the NBC Mystery Movie, McMillan & Wife was an immediate hit. After its network run on NBC, it appeared regularly in the form of syndicated reruns on local and cable television in the United States.
Cast and series name change
Due to a contract dispute between Saint James and the studio, the character of Sally (and their never seen, sometimes mentioned son) was killed off in an airplane crash during the fifth season. With one of the main characters missing, the show was retooled and renamed McMillan. Other cast changes included the departure of the Mildred character who left Mac's employment to run a diner (actress Nancy Walker left to star in her own sitcom but the "diner" reference was an inside joke meant to evoke her then-popular commercials on behalf of Bounty paper towels). Mac also got a new apartment and a new housekeeper, Agatha (Martha Raye), who was Mildred's sister as well as a new police aide, Sgt. DiMaggio (Richard Gilliland), as Schuck also left for his own series. The new format was not a success and McMillan was cancelled after six episodes were broadcast.
DVD releases
Universal Studios Home Entertainment released the first season of McMillan & Wife on DVD in Region 1[1] & Region 2 in 2005/2006.[2]
On May 21, 2010, Visual Entertainment announced it had acquired the rights to distribute McMillan & Wife on DVD in Region 1. They subsequently released seasons 2 & 3 in Canada and the US. Seasons 4 and 5 were released in the US on July 5, 2011[3], with the sixth and final season followed on September 20, 2011.[4] It is unknown when the remaining seasons will be released in Canada. All US releases are being distributed by Millennium Entertainment.
VEI plans to release a complete series box set in the US in the future. This 21-disc set will features all 40 episodes of the series.[5]
In Region 4, Madman Entertainment has released the first five seasons on DVD in Australia. Season 5 was released on October 19, 2011.[6]
DVD Name Ep# Release dates Region 1 (US) Region 1 (CAN) Region 4 Season One 8 August 9, 2005[7] April 19, 2010[8] Season Two 7 June 7, 2011[9] August 24, 2010[10] September 15, 2010[11] Season Three 6 June 7, 2011[12] March 8, 2011[13] March 16, 2011[14] Season Four 6 July 5, 2011 TBA July 20, 2011[15] Season Five 7 July 5, 2011 TBA October 19, 2011 Season Six 6 September 20, 2011 TBA TBA Complete Series 40 TBA TBA N/A Filming locations
The interior set of the McMillans' home in the pilot episode was actually Rock Hudson's house. In the second episode they moved to a new home, exterior shots were done on Greenwich Street in San Francisco. The address for the couple was once given in the show as 250 Carson Street. In later episodes a different house was used as the exterior shot of the house. In the final season McMillan, newly widowed, moved into an apartment and the house was never seen or mentioned again.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Amazon.com, McMillan & Wife season one DVD details
- ^ Amazon.co.uk, McMillan & Wife season one DVD details
- ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/McMillan-Wife-Seasons-4-and-5/15229
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/McMillan-Wife-Season-Rock-Hudson/dp/B004XH9X4U
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057O6IGY
- ^ http://www.madman.com.au/catalogue/view/15041/mcmillan-and-wife-the-complete-fifth-season-4-dvd-set
- ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/McMillan-Wife/3437
- ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/811511
- ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/McMillan-Wife-Season-2/15099
- ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/McMillan-Wife-Season-2/13917
- ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/814664
- ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/McMillan-Wife-Season-3/15094
- ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/McMillan-Wife-Season-3/14888
- ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/817815
- ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/819983
External links
Categories:- Crime television series
- NBC network shows
- 1970s American television series
- Television shows set in San Francisco, California
- Television series by NBC Universal Television
- 1971 television series debuts
- 1978 television series endings
- NBC Mystery Movie
- Television series by Universal Studios
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