The Governor & J.J.

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The Governor & J.J.
Jessie Royce Landis Julie Sommars Governor and JJ 1970.JPG
Jessie Royce Landis and Julie Sommars, 1970.
GenreComedy
Created byLeonard Stern
Arne Sultan
StarringDan Dailey
Julie Sommars
James T. Callahan
Neva Patterson
Nora Marlowe
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes39
Production
Production locationsCBS Studio Center, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, United States
Running time30 minutes
Production companyTalent Associates-Norton Simon
DistributorCBS Television Distribution
Warner Bros. Television
Release
Original networkCBS
Original release23 September 1969 (1969-09-23) –
30 December 1970 (1970-12-30)
Chronology
Followed byAll in the Family

The Governor & J.J. is a television series that ran from September 1969 to December 1970 on CBS in the United States and in Canada, where it ran on CBC Television. Selected episodes were rerun by CBS during the summer of 1972. It was produced by Talent Associates and CBS Productions. CBS Television Distribution now owns the distribution rights to the program.

The series starred Dan Dailey and Julie Sommars. It focused on William Drinkwater (Dailey), a governor in an unnamed Midwestern state, who, in lieu of his late wife, had a "first lady" in his 20-something year-old daughter, Jennifer Jo (Sommars). J.J., as Jennifer Jo was called, had a regular job as an assistant curator at a zoo in the capital city and had a love for animals. She was bright and opinionated and could debate political issues with her father as well as anyone else. Despite their difference in opinions (she was more liberal, and he was more conservative), William really loved J.J., and she proved herself to be charming and efficient in her duties being "first lady" for her father. J.J. often gained support and advice from Maggie McLeod (Neva Patterson), the governor's secretary; George Callison (James T. Callahan), the governor's press secretary; and from Sara Andrews (Nora Marlowe), the housekeeper at the governor's mansion.

Broadcast history[]

Season Time slot (ET)
1969–70 Tuesday at 9:30 pm
1970–71 Wednesday at 8:30 pm

Trivia[]

The series won three Golden Globe Awards in 1970 for Best Comedy Series, Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical TV series for Sommars and Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical TV Series for Dailey.

Francis De Sales guest-starred as Senator Loomis in the 1970 episode "Charley's Back in Town".

The series sometimes featured guest appearances by then current governors, including Robert Docking of Kansas and Deane C. Davis of Vermont.

In real life, Sommars has been involved in politics, mostly behind the scenes with the Republican Party.

When the program was canceled by CBS, it was replaced in its Wednesday timeslot by To Rome with Love, which had moved from Tuesdays to make room for All in the Family. To Rome with Love was canceled at the end of the 1970-71 season. CBS aired reruns of the series in the summer of 1972.

Episodes[]

Season 1: 1969–70[]

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"The Second 1st Lady"Leonard SternArne Sultan & Leonard SternSeptember 23, 1969 (1969-09-23)
22"There Go the Judge"Leonard SternAllan BurnsSeptember 30, 1969 (1969-09-30)
33"Romeo and J.J."Alan RafkinJoanna LeeOctober 14, 1969 (1969-10-14)
44"One Little Indian"Jay SandrichEarl Barret & Leonard Stern & Arne SultanOctober 21, 1969 (1969-10-21)
55"Cat on a Hot Tin Mansion"Leonard SternArne Sultan & Leonard SternOctober 28, 1969 (1969-10-28)
66"The Butterfly Man of Alcazar"Jay SandrichRoland WolpertNovember 4, 1969 (1969-11-04)
77"Come Fly Without Me"Leonard SternArne Sultan & Earl Barret & Leonard SternNovember 11, 1969 (1969-11-11)
88"Rhyme with Reason"Alan RafkinChris Hayward & Earl BarretNovember 18, 1969 (1969-11-18)
99"My Good Friend, What's His Name?"Jay SandrichChris Hayward & Arne Sultan & Leonard SternNovember 25, 1969 (1969-11-25)
1010"Springtime for Maggie"Lee PhilipsGene ThompsonDecember 2, 1969 (1969-12-02)
1111"State of Reunion"Jay SandrichBarbara AvedonDecember 9, 1969 (1969-12-09)
1212"Bunky's Buddy"Alan RafkinArne Sultan & Earl BarretDecember 16, 1969 (1969-12-16)
1313"The Governor's Portrait"Nicholas ColasantoHarry WinklerDecember 23, 1969 (1969-12-23)
1414"Profile in Discourage"Lee PhilipsRichard MorganDecember 30, 1969 (1969-12-30)
1515"Once Upon a War"Alan RafkinEarl BarretJanuary 6, 1969 (1969-01-06)
1616"Never Judge a Book by Its Naked Cover"Alan RafkinAlden SchwimmerJanuary 13, 1970 (1970-01-13)
1717"The Last Weekend"Alan RafkinEarl Barret & Arne SultanJanuary 20, 1970 (1970-01-20)
1818"The Tic Toc Tale"Dan DaileyEarl Barret & Arne SultanJanuary 27, 1970 (1970-01-27)
1919"Luv the Guv"George TyneArne Sultan & Earl BarretFebruary 3, 1970 (1970-02-03)
2020"Bye, George"Alan RafkinEarl Barret & Arne SultanFebruary 17, 1970 (1970-02-17)
2121"Abe Lincoln Slept Here"Jay SandrichMort R. LewisFebruary 24, 1970 (1970-02-24)
2222"Son of the Bride"Dan DaileyBarbara AvedonMarch 3, 1970 (1970-03-03)
2323"The Governor Gets the Chair"Jay SandrichBill ManhoffMarch 10, 1970 (1970-03-10)
2424"The Return of Doctor Livingston"Alan RafkinArne Sultan & Earl BarretMarch 17, 1970 (1970-03-17)
2525"Charley's Back in Town"Jay SandrichGeorge KirgoMarch 24, 1970 (1970-03-24)
2626"Second Opinion"Alan RafkinArne Sultan & Earl BarretMarch 31, 1970 (1970-03-31)

Season 2: 1970[]

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
271"And the World Begat the Bleep"Alan RafkinArne Sultan & Earl BarretSeptember 23, 1970 (1970-09-23)
282"Ben and Her"Alan RafkinBill ManhoffSeptember 30, 1970 (1970-09-30)
293"Read That Leg to Me Again"Alan RafkinEarl Barret & Arne SultanOctober 7, 1970 (1970-10-07)
304"File Safe"George TyneChris Hayward & Arne Sultan & Leonard SternOctober 14, 1970 (1970-10-14)
315"Run Ballerina, Run"Alan RafkinArne Sultan & Earl BarretOctober 21, 1970 (1970-10-21)
326"Fawcett Is Running"Alan RafkinJay TerryOctober 28, 1970 (1970-10-28)
337"Maid for Sara"Dan DaileyArthur Sultan & Frank Red BensonNovember 11, 1970 (1970-11-11)
348"Check the Check"Alan RafkinArne Sultan & Earl BarretNovember 18, 1970 (1970-11-18)
359"The Making of the Governor"Charles WaltersBurt PrelutskyNovember 25, 1970 (1970-11-25)
3610"A Day in the Life"Alan RafkinRoger PriceDecember 9, 1970 (1970-12-09)
3711"Twice in a Lifetime"Alan RafkinStory by : Arthur Sultan
Teleplay by : Earl Barret
December 16, 1970 (1970-12-16)
3812"P.S. I Don't Love You"Dan DaileyDouglas MorrowDecember 23, 1970 (1970-12-23)
3913"From Here to Maternity"Earl BarretEarl Barret & Arne SultanDecember 30, 1970 (1970-12-30)

External links[]

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