Many Happy Returns (TV series)

Many Happy Returns
Many Happy Returns
Created by	Parke Levy
Starring	John McGiver; Elinor Donahue; Mark Goddard; Elena Verdugo; Mickey Manners
Theme music composer	David Rose; Parke Levy
Composer	Pete Rugolo
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	26
Production
Producer	Parke Levy
Running time	30 minutes
Production companies	Lindabob Productions; MGM Television
Release
Original network	CBS
Picture format	Black and White
Original release	September 21, 1964 –; April 12, 1965

Many Happy Returns is an American sitcom that ran on CBS for twenty-six episodes, from September 21, 1964 to April 12, 1965, under the sponsorship of General Foods.

Cast[]

The show starred character actor John McGiver. Known for his emphatic, precise, dogmatic bearing and firm command of the English language, McGiver played the part of a widower, Walter Burnley, the manager of the complaints department at the fictitious Krockmeyer's Department Store in Los Angeles.^{[citation needed]}

Elinor Donahue played McGiver's daughter, Joan Randall. Mark Goddard played Joan's husband, Bob Randall.^{[citation needed]} The Randalls' daughter, Laurie, was played by . Elena Verdugo (Marcus Welby, M.D.) played complaint department employee Lynn Hall.

Others on the series were as Harry Price, Jesslyn Fax as Wilma Fritter, and Mickey Manners as Joe Foley, all cast as store employees. Character actress Doris Packer played the role of Cornelia. Russell Collins was cast as Burnley's demanding, often unreasonable boss, Owen Sharp.^{[citation needed]}

Episodes[]

The program was directed by Gene Reynolds, who later went on to work on several episodes of M*A*S*H. Episode titles of Many Happy Returns include:^{[citation needed]}

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	"Many Happy Returns"	Sherman Marks	Parke Levy & Norman Paul	September 21, 1964 (1964-09-21)
Walter gets involved in a spat between a newlywed and her in-laws, only for his family to get the impression he's the one planning to run away with the new bride.
2	"Walter Meets the Machine"	TBA	TBA	September 28, 1964 (1964-09-28)
When Walter's complaint department is set to be replaced by a computer named IRMA, it's up to him to show Sharp that a human being has advantages over technology.
3	"It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog"	TBA	TBA	October 5, 1964 (1964-10-05)
A lady returns a dog to the department store, and Walter gives it to his granddaughter. Then the lady's angry husband demands the dog be returned.
4	"Bye, Bye Cupid"	TBA	TBA	October 12, 1964 (1964-10-12)
Sharp schemes to play Cupid for his single sister and an unsuspecting Walter.
5	"Burnley at the Bridge"	TBA	TBA	October 19, 1964 (1964-10-19)
When Lynn announces her engagement to a soldier, Walter takes on the role of a protective father figure.
6	"Joe's Place"	TBA	TBA	October 26, 1964 (1964-10-26)
Joan plans an elegant dinner party...but Walter isn't on the guest list.
7	"The Best Seller"	TBA	TBA	November 9, 1964 (1964-11-09)
Walter hatches a plot to improve the book sales of a struggling author.
8	"Mother Burnley's Chickens"	TBA	TBA	November 16, 1964 (1964-11-16)
Walter gets to understand Harry's nerves firsthand, when he's asked to babysit---for Harry's eight kids.
9	"Krockmeyer on Avon"	TBA	TBA	November 23, 1964 (1964-11-23)
Joe dreams of being an actor---so he plans on quitting the department store.
10	"East is West"	TBA	TBA	November 30, 1964 (1964-11-30)
Walter is tasked with luring the account of a Japanese camera maker to the store, which is easier said than done with the language and cultural barriers.
11	"The House Divided"	Theodore J. Flicker	Story by : Sidney Green & Harvey Helm, Teleplay by : Sid Dorfman & Parke Levy	December 7, 1964 (1964-12-07)
A man suffers a fall in the store and sues, with Walter's son-in-law Bob representing him.
12	"The Fashion Show"	TBA	TBA	December 14, 1964 (1964-12-14)
The store offers up a fashion show for the customers, but a demanding fashion designer steamrolls the store staff with her demands.
13	"The Shoplifter"	TBA	TBA	December 21, 1964 (1964-12-21)
Walter knows a woman is shoplifting from the store in order to return the goods for cash, but the trouble is proving it.
14	"The Surprise Visit"	TBA	TBA	December 28, 1964 (1964-12-28)
Returns are down, and Walter thinks his staff deserves a raise. Sharp instead wants to fire someone.
15	"Taming of the Beast"	TBA	TBA	January 4, 1965 (1965-01-04)
It's a race against the clock: Wilma's cats are having kittens, but her building is being demolished at the same time.
16	"No Nose is Good Nose"	TBA	TBA	January 11, 1965 (1965-01-11)
It's many happy returns for Sharp on his birthday, but Walter's plans to throw a surprise party hit a snag with the arrival of an efficiency expert: Sharp's nephew (Arte Johnson).
17	"Foster Father of the Bride"	TBA	TBA	January 18, 1965 (1965-01-18)
When Lynn's soldier fiancé calls off the wedding, Walter impersonates a general to find out why.
18	"The Diamond"	TBA	TBA	January 25, 1965 (1965-01-25)
Walter plays mediator for a young couple, forbidden to marry by the girl's status-conscious father.
19	"Three on a Honeymoon"	TBA	TBA	February 1, 1965 (1965-02-01)
A pair of newlyweds find themselves stranded in the store after closing time, and Walter works to salvage their honeymoon.
20	"Pop Goes the Easel"	TBA	TBA	February 8, 1965 (1965-02-08)
Walter's brush with the art world turns sour, when the canvas he gave a struggling artist to use turns out to be a priceless painting owned by Sharp's wife.
21	"The Krockmeyer Caper"	TBA	TBA	February 15, 1965 (1965-02-15)
Walter buys a golf bag someone returned to the store, unaware that a pair of crooks have their loot hidden away inside.
22	"Big White Lie"	TBA	TBA	March 8, 1965 (1965-03-08)
When Sharp unknowingly insults an Italian businesswoman, jeopardizing the store's merger plans, Walter has to impersonate Sharp to try and smooth things over
23	"Idol Threats"	TBA	TBA	March 22, 1965 (1965-03-22)
A superstitious customer returns an ivory figurine that he says is hexed, which turns the store upside down with a string of unfortunate coincidences.
24	"A Date for Walter"	TBA	TBA	March 29, 1965 (1965-03-29)
Joe's job is in jeopardy, and the root cause turns out to be his girlfriend's mother.
25	"The Woodsman"	Gene Reynolds	Earl Barret	April 5, 1965 (1965-04-05)
The urbane Walter meets his match in the great outdoors when he volunteers to take two neglected boys camping.
26	"It's a Gift"	Stanley Z. Cherry	Albert E. Lewin & Burt Styler	April 12, 1965 (1965-04-12)
Walter inserts himself as peacemaker in a lover's spat between his nephew and the nephew's wife. But the inexpensive peace offering he orders for the wife is instead delivered as a $300 dress.

History[]

Many Happy Returns was technically the successor to The Danny Thomas Show (for the same sponsor), which stopped production in 1964 after eleven years on the air, first on ABC, then on CBS. It aired at 9:30 Eastern on Mondays opposite the short-lived sitcom The Bing Crosby Show on ABC and The Andy Williams Show, alternating weekly with The Jonathan Winters Show, on the NBC schedule. Many Happy Returns theoretically benefited from having followed The Lucy Show on CBS. It preceded the drama Slattery's People.^[1]

References[]

^ 1964-1965 United States network schedule, Monday

External links[]

Many Happy Returns at IMDb

[1] 1964-1965 United States network schedule, Monday

[1]