November 14, 1988 - May 18, 1998
CBS Situation Comedy - 247 Filmed Episodes

Cast:

Murphy Brown:   Candice Bergen
Jim Dial:   Charles Kimbrough
Frank Fontana:   Joe Regalbuto
Corky Sherwood:   Faith Ford
Miles Silverberg:   Grant Shaud
Phil:   Pat Corley
Eldin Bernecky:   Robert Pastorelli
Kay Carter Sheply:   Lily Tomlin
Miller Redfield:   Christopher Rich
Jerry Gold:   Jay Thomas
Carl Wishnitski:   Ritch Brinkley
John, stage manager:   John Hostetter
Gene Kinsella:   Alan Oppenheimer
Peter Hunt:   Scott Bakula
Avery Brown, son:   Dyllan Christopher
Stan Lansing:   Garry Marshall
Andrew J. Lansing III:   Paul Reubens
Will Forrest:   Scott Bryce
Phil, Jr.:   Pat Finn
Doris Dial:   Janet Carroll
Jake Lowenstein:   Robin Thomas
Avery Brown, mom:   Colleen Dewhurst
Bill Brown, dad:   Darren McGavin
McGovern:   Paula Cole
Mitchell Baldwin:   Julius Carry
Avery Brown:   Haley Joel Osment
Stuart Best:   Wallace Shawn

Murphy Brown was the veteran star reporter of F.Y.I.,
a highly successful weekly magazine series originating
from Washington, D.C. Murphy was not the most lovable
person in the world. She was opinionated, sarcastic,
overbearing, and driven. She didn't know how to do
anything in moderation. But, regardless of her faults,
Murphy was a dedicated and tireless reporter with a
great on-camera presence and an ethical sense
not often seen on the air.

Jim Dial was F.Y.I.'s stuffy anchorman, a newsman for
25 years who had, remarkably, never developed any sense
of humor. Frank Fontana was the show's investigative
reporter and Murphy's closest friend. New to the F.Y.I.
staff was Corky Sherwood, a perky former Miss America.
She knew nothing about journalism and idolized Murphy,
who found her cheerleader personality a bit hard to
take. Miles Silverberg was the executive producer, an
enthusiastic but neurotic young man who was not always
comfortable or effective in controlling the program's
staff. The Local hangout was Phils, a neighborhood bar
whose fatherly owner was always willing to listen and
offer advice. He knew everything that went on in
Washington. And then there was Eldin, the eccentric
house painter, he had been working on Murphy's town-
house from the time the series premiered. He was also
an aspiring artist. Even after he sold one of his
paintings for one million dollars, he continued
to work on Murphy's place.

There were a number of running gags on Murphy Brown.
For the first two seasons there was no regular theme,
each episode opened with a different Motown song whose
title or lyrics related to the storyline to follow.
Murphy had a problem holding on to secretaries. She
went through twenty of them in the first season alone.

When Murphy gave birth to a baby boy out of wedlock in
1992, it set off a national controversy. Murphy had her
choice of two fathers, Jake (her exhusband with whom
she had a brief fling) or Jerry Gold (a more recent
boyfriend). This also meant the audience would be denied
any storyline revolving around the picking and choosing
of wedding bands for men and women or any other comedic
satire that could have come about leading up to a wedding
episode. She rejected them both, saying she preferred
to raise the child alone. The next day, Vice President
Dan Quayle singled out the program for criticism.


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Murphy Brown

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Episode Guide
By Dennis Kytasaari

Murphy Brown
From The Museum of Broadcast Communications

Murphy Brown
From TV.com

Murphy Brown
From TVGuide.com

Murphy Brown
From Wikipedia

Murphy Brown Message Board
From Todd Fuller's Sitcoms Online


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