Madame's Place
Encyclopedia
Madame's Place is an American sitcom
that featured the misadventures of Madame, a puppet
in the form of a bawdy old movie star with a naughty sense of humor.
Madame's Place aired for one first-run season from September 20, 1982 until February 25, 1983, although the actual number of episodes produced is disputed (some references say 75, some say 150). The show was unusual for a sitcom in that it was produced for first-run syndication to air five days a week.
Wayland Flowers
as her creator.
Madame is an "outrageous old broad" who entertains with double entendre
s and witty comebacks. Bedecked in fabulous eveningwear and summer diamonds ("Some are diamonds; some are not"), Madame's look is based on movie stars such as Gloria Swanson
. Madame lived in a plush mansion with her butler, ex-boxer Pinkerton (Johnny Haymer
); they interacted with nerdy day planner Bernadette (Susan Tolsky
), Madame's beautiful, IQ-challenged, southern-belle niece Sara Joy (Judy Landers
), and nosy kid neighbor Buzzy (Corey Feldman
).
Madame's Place covered all of the bases from an abandoned baby on the doorstep to an outrageous fortune teller (played by guest star Edie McClurg
) peddling her theories.
Within the series, Madame had a talk show featuring guests including Debbie Reynolds
, Foster Brooks
, and William Shatner
.
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that featured the misadventures of Madame, a puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
in the form of a bawdy old movie star with a naughty sense of humor.
Madame's Place aired for one first-run season from September 20, 1982 until February 25, 1983, although the actual number of episodes produced is disputed (some references say 75, some say 150). The show was unusual for a sitcom in that it was produced for first-run syndication to air five days a week.
Premise
The series centers around the puppet Madame, who was a huge hit with audiences in the 1970s and 1980s with American puppeteerPuppeteer
A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object, such as a puppet, in real time to create the illusion of life. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from the audience. A puppeteer can operate a puppet indirectly by the use of strings, rods, wires, electronics or directly by his or...
Wayland Flowers
Wayland Flowers
Wayland P. Flowers, Jr. was an American puppeteer. He was born and raised in Dawson, Georgia. Flowers was best known for the puppet act he created with his puppet Madame...
as her creator.
Madame is an "outrageous old broad" who entertains with double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
s and witty comebacks. Bedecked in fabulous eveningwear and summer diamonds ("Some are diamonds; some are not"), Madame's look is based on movie stars such as Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
. Madame lived in a plush mansion with her butler, ex-boxer Pinkerton (Johnny Haymer
Johnny Haymer
Johnny Haymer was an American actor who played Staff Sergeant Zelmo Zale, a recurring character in the television series M*A*S*H. Another high-profile role was that of the painfully unfunny stand-up comedian in the Woody Allen film Annie Hall...
); they interacted with nerdy day planner Bernadette (Susan Tolsky
Susan Tolsky
Susan Tolsky is an American actress and voice actress, perhaps best known for her appearances on Here Come the Brides and The Buzz on Maggie.-Career:...
), Madame's beautiful, IQ-challenged, southern-belle niece Sara Joy (Judy Landers
Judy Landers
Judy Landers is an American film and television actress.-Early years:Landers was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was raised in Rockland County, New York. She is the daughter of Ruth Landers, and is the younger sister of fellow actress Audrey Landers...
), and nosy kid neighbor Buzzy (Corey Feldman
Corey Feldman
Corey Scott Feldman is an American film and television actor. He became known during the 1980s, with roles in the Hollywood films Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, The Goonies, Stand by Me, The Lost Boys, License to Drive, Dream a Little Dream, Gremlins and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...
).
Madame's Place covered all of the bases from an abandoned baby on the doorstep to an outrageous fortune teller (played by guest star Edie McClurg
Edie McClurg
Edie McClurg is an American character actress. She is known for her perky North Central dialect , common to persons from Middle America.-Career:...
) peddling her theories.
Within the series, Madame had a talk show featuring guests including Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...
, Foster Brooks
Foster Brooks
Foster Brooks was an American actor and comedian most famous for his portrayal of a lovable drunken man in nightclub performances and television programs.-Biography:...
, and William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
.
Characters
- Madame (Wayland FlowersWayland FlowersWayland P. Flowers, Jr. was an American puppeteer. He was born and raised in Dawson, Georgia. Flowers was best known for the puppet act he created with his puppet Madame...
) - Walter "Pinky" Pinkerton (Johnny HaymerJohnny HaymerJohnny Haymer was an American actor who played Staff Sergeant Zelmo Zale, a recurring character in the television series M*A*S*H. Another high-profile role was that of the painfully unfunny stand-up comedian in the Woody Allen film Annie Hall...
) - Bernadette (Susan TolskySusan TolskySusan Tolsky is an American actress and voice actress, perhaps best known for her appearances on Here Come the Brides and The Buzz on Maggie.-Career:...
) - Sara Joy (Judy LandersJudy LandersJudy Landers is an American film and television actress.-Early years:Landers was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was raised in Rockland County, New York. She is the daughter of Ruth Landers, and is the younger sister of fellow actress Audrey Landers...
) - Buzzy (Corey FeldmanCorey FeldmanCorey Scott Feldman is an American film and television actor. He became known during the 1980s, with roles in the Hollywood films Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, The Goonies, Stand by Me, The Lost Boys, License to Drive, Dream a Little Dream, Gremlins and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...
) - Barney (Ty Henderson)