Murphy Brown

Murphy Brown was an American situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988 to May 18, 1998. It starred Candice Bergen as Murphy Brown, an investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI, a fictional newsmagazine.

Related Topics:
American - Situation comedy - CBS - November 14 - 1988 - May 18 - 1998 - Candice Bergen - Investigative journalist - News anchor - Newsmagazine

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Brown (born May 1948 in Philadelphia) was a recovering alcoholic, who, in the show's first episode, was returning to FYI for the first time since a stay at the Betty Ford Clinic. Her colleagues at FYI included stuffy anchor Jim Dial (Charles Kimbrough), reporter Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto), who hated the toupée he had to wear for the show, and the scatterbrained Corky Sherwood (Faith Ford), a former Miss America. Sherwood was actually first runner-up until the winner was forced to resign (Sherwood remarked in one episode, "She told everyone she loved animals but who knew to take her literally?"). New to the staff was producer Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud), who, at 25 and fresh from work in public television, was perfect for utter torture from Murphy.

Related Topics:
1948 - Philadelphia - Alcoholic - Betty Ford Clinic - Charles Kimbrough - Joe Regalbuto - Faith Ford - Miss America - Grant Shaud - Public television

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The FYI team also frequently socialized at Phil's, a bar across the street from their studio in Washington. Phil, the bar owner, was played by Pat Corley.

Related Topics:
Washington - Pat Corley

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Brown was unmarried, but had a home life as well: she had hired Eldin Bernecky (Robert Pastorelli) to repaint her house, but he had so many grand ideas that he was with the show for six seasons.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the show's 1991–1992 season, Murphy became pregnant and had a child, making the show a subject of political controversy during the 1992 American presidential campaign. On May 19, 1992, then Vice President Dan Quayle spoke at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, California. During his speech, he criticized the Murphy Brown character for ignoring the importance of fathers and bearing a child alone. Quayle's remarks caused a public discussion on family values, culminating in the 1992-93 season premiere ("You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato") where the television characters reacted to Quayle's comments and produced a special episode of FYI showcasing and celebrating the diversity of the modern American family. http://www.tvtome.com/MurphyBrown/season5.html

Related Topics:
1991 - 1992 - 1992 American presidential campaign - May 19 - Vice President - Dan Quayle - Commonwealth Club - San Francisco - California - 93

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shaud left the series in 1996, and was replaced by Lily Tomlin as producer Kay Carter-Shepley for the show's final seasons. Kay proved that she had just as little experience as Miles Silverberg when he started with the show; the only experience Kay had in television was producing a daytime game show.

Related Topics:
1996 - Lily Tomlin - Game show

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the show's final season, a year-long story arc aired in which Murphy battled breast cancer. The show's handling of the subject was credited with a 30 percent increase in the number of women getting mammograms. The storyline was not without controversy; an episode in which she used medical marijuana to relieve side effects of chemotherapy was attacked by conservative groups, and a women's health group protested an episode in which Murphy, while shopping for prosthetic breasts, uttered the line "Should I go with Demi Moore or Elsie the Cow?"

Related Topics:
Breast cancer - Mammogram - Medical marijuana - Chemotherapy - Demi Moore

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

However, Bergen was presented an award from the American Cancer Society in honor of her role in educating women on the importance of breast cancer prevention and screening.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the show's final episode, Murphy met God (played by Alan King) and Edward R. Murrow while undergoing surgery. Computer editing was used to insert footage of the real Murrow, who died in 1965, into the show.

Related Topics:
God - Alan King - Edward R. Murrow - 1965

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~