Mr. Belvedere
Popular 1980s sitcom based on the Gwen Davenport novel "Belvedere," which in turn was thrice adapted to the big screen. Like its earlier novel and big-screen brethren, "Mr. Belvedere" featured British butler Lynn Belvedere, who takes a job as a live-in nanny for a typical American family and records their everyday experiences in his diary for future use in writing a novel. In the 1985 small-screen version, the Owens family served as that "typical American family" and the source of fodder for Belvedere, who had previously worked as a gentry for Winston Churchill and had connections to British royalty. Family patriarch George (played by sportscaster Bob Uecker) was, in an example of art imitating life, a sportswriter; the matriarch was Marsha, a law student. The couple, who had settled in suburban Pittsburgh, had three children: awkward teenager Kevin; precocious, easily-embarrassed Heather; and mischievous prankster Wesley. George was initially uncomfortable hiring the worldly Belvedere but eventually came to appreciate the Englishman's friendship (as well as his expert culinary skills). Unlike his older siblings, Wesley never seemed to get along with Belvedere, but even he came to appreciate the British native's regularly-dispensed advice. Each episode ended with Belvedere writing in his journal, giving the show's moral while putting everything into perspective. In later years, Marsha graduated from law school and got her first job, and Kevin and Heather graduated from high school and entered college. The 1985 small-screen adaptation of "Mr. Belvedere" marked the end of a long succession of unsuccessful attempts to bring Davenport's novel to television; the three earlier pilots were made in the 1950s (soon after the final big-screen movie) and 1960s.
- Metascore36
- 1985-1990
- 6 seasons
- ABC
- Comedy, Family
- TV-G
Popular 1980s sitcom based on the Gwen Davenport novel "Belvedere," which in turn was thrice adapted to the big screen. Like its earlier novel and big-screen brethren, "Mr. Belvedere" featured British butler Lynn Belvedere, who takes a job as a live-in nanny for a typical American family and records their everyday experiences in his diary for future use in writing a novel. In the 1985 small-screen version, the Owens family served as that "typical American family" and the source of fodder for Belvedere, who had previously worked as a gentry for Winston Churchill and had connections to British royalty. Family patriarch George (played by sportscaster Bob Uecker) was, in an example of art imitating life, a sportswriter; the matriarch was Marsha, a law student. The couple, who had settled in suburban Pittsburgh, had three children: awkward teenager Kevin; precocious, easily-embarrassed Heather; and mischievous prankster Wesley. George was initially uncomfortable hiring the worldly Belvedere but eventually came to appreciate the Englishman's friendship (as well as his expert culinary skills). Unlike his older siblings, Wesley never seemed to get along with Belvedere, but even he came to appreciate the British native's regularly-dispensed advice. Each episode ended with Belvedere writing in his journal, giving the show's moral while putting everything into perspective. In later years, Marsha graduated from law school and got her first job, and Kevin and Heather graduated from high school and entered college. The 1985 small-screen adaptation of "Mr. Belvedere" marked the end of a long succession of unsuccessful attempts to bring Davenport's novel to television; the three earlier pilots were made in the 1950s (soon after the final big-screen movie) and 1960s.
Season 6 Episode Guide
22 Episodes 1989 - 1990
Episode 1
The Field
Sat, Sep 16, 1989
It's George's birthday. He's been pushing Wesley to excel at baseball, and when Wesley decides to cheat, George is upset and Wesley say she did it for him. When they throw him a party and help him relive some of his greatest moment, it only shows him that he's done nothing that he'd set out to do, like play baseball with the greats, so Belvedere decides to give him a different gift: He arranges for some great players to show up at Wesley's game the next day: Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Reggie Jackson, Johnny Bench, and Ernie Banks; who, joined by Robert Goulet and George, take on Wesley's team.
Episode 2
Brain Busters
Sat, Sep 30, 1989
George and Wesley try to get on a father/son game show, but at a practice run, George sucks, so Wesley asks Belvedere to fill in. At the show, Belvedere dominates the game.
Episode 3
Truckin'
Sat, Oct 7, 1989
Belvedere gets George to invest in live commodities: pigs. While Belvedere sells out, George holds onto it without knowing that if he doesn't sell them, he must take possession of them, so dozens of pigs are sent to him so he must unload them, and the only buyer is out of town. So he hires a truck and he and Belvedere set out to deliver them. Eventually they like being truckers and decide to keep doing it, leaving Marsha and the kids.
Episode 4
Big
Sat, Oct 21, 1989
Wesley decides to adopt a big kid and use him as a bodyguard.
Episode 5
Fear of Flying
Sat, Nov 4, 1989
George and Marsha are planning a trip, but George backs out when he learns that they must fly there. When Belvedere learns that George has a fear of flying, he does what he can to help. He takes George to the amusement park and they both go on the Ferris wheel. However, they get stuck on it, which increases George's fear. Belvedere then enrolls George in a fear-of-flying therapy group.
Episode 6
Paper Mill
Sat, Nov 11, 1989
Wesley is duped into writing book reports for a friend.
Episode 7
Homecoming
Sat, Nov 18, 1989
Wesley makes a movie starring Mr. Belvedere for school; Heather's new boyfriend refuses to take "No" for an answer after the Homecoming Dance.
Episode 8
Fixed
Sat, Nov 25, 1989
A woman claims that Wesley's dog is harassing hers and she's worried that he might impregnate her dog, which she plans to breed. They instruct Wesley to have his dog fixed, which he tells him they did. But when the woman returns with puppies she claims were sired by Wesley's dog, he must find homes for them.
Episode 9
Used Cars
Sat, Dec 2, 1989
When Kevin becomes a used-car salesman, his personality changes and his conscience begins to take a back seat.
Episode 10
Counterfeit
Sat, Dec 9, 1989
Wesley chooses print shop for an elective, and as usual he does something: he prints his own money, which he tries to give to Belvedere, who sees through it and tells Wesley to dispose of it, but George takes it before he can. Meanwhile, Kevin hears noises at his apartment and his neighbor tells him about something that happened at his apartment. Kevin goes home and tells his family about it, and Belvedere goes back with him to show him that it's nothing.
Episode 11
A Happy Guys Christmas
Sat, Dec 16, 1989
'Tis the season not to be jolly: Mr. Belvedere is cast as Ebenezer Scrooge in a local community production of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol".
Episode 12
The Professor
Sat, Dec 30, 1989
Kevin falls in love with his substitute professor.
Episode 13
Love Fest
Thu, Aug 30, 1990
George and Marsha try to rekindle their romance.
Episode 14
Donuts
Thu, Aug 30, 1990
When the owner of Belvedere's favorite doughnut shop dies, he leaves it to him, upsetting Lou-Anne, the employee who thought she was getting it. When Belvedere spends too much time there, the Owens family hires Lou-Anne to help them out.
Episode 15
Runaways
Thu, Aug 30, 1990
Wesley runs away with Lou-Anne's daughter Sheila; the Owens family must help Belvedere overcome a curse.
Episode 16
The Pageant
Thu, Aug 30, 1990
Heather attempts to sabotage a beauty pageant.
Episode 17
The Baby
Thu, Aug 30, 1990
Marsha gets attached to a baby who is waiting to be adopted.
Episode 18
Bad Marsha
Thu, Aug 30, 1990 30 mins
Marsha goes to the prison to speak to a woman she's supposed to represent--and discovers that they look alike. While she's looking away, the criminal knocks her out, and she wakes up to find herself in prison clothes with everyone thinking that she's the criminal and not believing her when she insists that she isn't. The prisoner goes to Marsha's home, pretends to be her, and tries to make off with something.
Episode 19
Home
Thu, Aug 30, 1990
Mrs. Checchini comes to Belvedere begging for his help: her family wants to put her in a home. Belvedere does nothing, and when he goes to visit her, she definitely lacks her usual spark.
Episode 20
Mumsy
Thu, Aug 30, 1990
Mr. Belvedere's mum visits, and while everyone else seems to love her very much, Mr. Belvedere seems to be ashamed of her.
Episode 21
Mr. Belvedere's Wedding: Part 1
Sun, Jul 1, 1990
While at the laundromat with Wesley, Mr. Belvedere sees a very nice woman who works in the jungles of Africa, but came to Beaver Falls after work in the jungle had been put on hiatus.
Episode 22
Mr. Belvedere's Wedding: Part 2
Sun, Jul 8, 1990
After Louise and Mr. Belvedere decide to get married, Louise breaks the news that she has been called to return to Africa, and she wants him to come with her. He agrees, but not without a final goodbye from old friends Skip, Angela, Robert Goulet, and of course, the Owens family, who have enjoyed six years of his company.