Married to the Kellys
Encyclopedia
Married to the Kellys is an American sitcom that aired on ABC
from 2003 to 2004 with a run of 22 episodes. Set in a suburb of Kansas City
, the series stars Breckin Meyer
and Kiele Sanchez
. The show was a part of the TGIF
Friday night line up, after Hope and Faith, airing at 9:30 EST. The show earned fair ratings enough to get picked up for a whole season but the network eventually decided against renewing it for a second season.
The series followed the adventures of a single-child New Yorker adjusting to life with his wife's large, close-knit suburban family.
The show was originally to be titled Back to Kansas.
, Less Than Perfect
) loosely based this comedy on his own true life experiences. The sitcom centers on New York
loner Tom (Breckin Meyer
, Clueless
) who was raised as an only child. When he marries Susan (Kiele Sanchez
, That Was Then
), a woman raised in the Mid-West by a large family, they move to Kansas
to be closer to them and he has to quickly adjust to life with a big, caring family.
When Tom married Susan he thought he was only getting a new wife. He never even considered that he would be getting a brand new family as well. Included in this new family are mother Sandy, the rule-maker of the house, and father Bill, once an only child, who could be the one person Tom can relate to the most. There's also Susan's competitive sister Mary and her husband Chris, who considers himself Bill and Sandy's favorite son-in-law and finds Tom as somewhat of a threat. And finally there's Susan's brother Lewis, a shy and awkward young man who has made a career of collecting bugs. Other family members who occasionally dropped by included Uncle Dave, the big-shot of the family, and Lisa, the youngest daughter who wants to back-pack around Europe
and become an art major.
When Married to the Kellys premiered Fridays at 8:30pm/7:30 central during ABC
's fall 2003 season, it aired after George Lopez
, where ABC brought back it's famed TGIF
block along with the new Kelly Ripa
comedy Hope & Faith
and Life with Bonnie
. Originally bought by ABC as The Untitled Tom Hertz Project the show needed a quick title in order for the series to be promoted in time for the network to unveil its new line-up. So they decided on the tentative title Back to Kansas. Although the series does take place in Kansas
the title didn't quite work since the main character isn't really returning to Kansas
(his wife is) and the show wasn't really about the wife's "return" to Kansas but more about the entire Kelly family and the main character's efforts in trying to fit into a new situation. The show soon acquired the more appropriate and fitting title Married to the Kellys. An interesting fact about the show is that Tom Hertz didn't just use real life situations as inspiration for this sitcom, he also used real life family members. All the characters in the series were named after Tom, his wife and his in-laws (with the exception of Lewis).
Married to the Kellys also starred Josh Braaten (That '80s Show
), Nancy Lenehan (Grace Under Fire), Emily Rutherfurd (The Ellen Show
, Van Wilder), Sam Anderson (Angel
) and newcomer Derek Waters.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from 2003 to 2004 with a run of 22 episodes. Set in a suburb of Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, the series stars Breckin Meyer
Breckin Meyer
-Early life:Meyer was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Dorothy Ann , a travel agent and former microbiologist, and Christopher William Meyer, a management consultant. As a child of divorced parents, he lived in California, Texas, West Virginia and New Jersey. He has an older brother,...
and Kiele Sanchez
Kiele Sanchez
Kiele Michelle Sanchez is an American actress who stars in the A&E Network drama The Glades. Previously she starred as the second-eldest Sorelli sister, Anne, a therapist in her mid-twenties, in The WB's comedic ensemble drama, Related. She was cast as a co-star in the third season of the ABC...
. The show was a part of the TGIF
TGIF (ABC)
TGIF was the name of an American family-friendly prime time television programming block on the ABC network. The name comes from the initials of the popular phrase "Thank God It's Friday"...
Friday night line up, after Hope and Faith, airing at 9:30 EST. The show earned fair ratings enough to get picked up for a whole season but the network eventually decided against renewing it for a second season.
The series followed the adventures of a single-child New Yorker adjusting to life with his wife's large, close-knit suburban family.
The show was originally to be titled Back to Kansas.
Premise
Producer Tom Hertz (Spin CitySpin City
Spin City is an American sitcom television series that aired from September 17, 1996 until April 30, 2002 on the ABC network. Created by Gary David Goldberg and Bill Lawrence, the show was based on a fictional local government running New York City, and originally starred Michael J. Fox as Mike...
, Less Than Perfect
Less Than Perfect
Less Than Perfect is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from October 1, 2002, to June 6, 2006. The show was about a young female office employee and her co-workers...
) loosely based this comedy on his own true life experiences. The sitcom centers on New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
loner Tom (Breckin Meyer
Breckin Meyer
-Early life:Meyer was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Dorothy Ann , a travel agent and former microbiologist, and Christopher William Meyer, a management consultant. As a child of divorced parents, he lived in California, Texas, West Virginia and New Jersey. He has an older brother,...
, Clueless
Clueless
Clueless is a 1995 American comedy film loosely based on Jane Austen's 1815 novel, Emma. It is set in Beverly Hills and a nearby high school. It was written and directed by Amy Heckerling and produced by Scott Rudin. The film was released in the United States on July 19, 1995...
) who was raised as an only child. When he marries Susan (Kiele Sanchez
Kiele Sanchez
Kiele Michelle Sanchez is an American actress who stars in the A&E Network drama The Glades. Previously she starred as the second-eldest Sorelli sister, Anne, a therapist in her mid-twenties, in The WB's comedic ensemble drama, Related. She was cast as a co-star in the third season of the ABC...
, That Was Then
That Was Then
That Was Then is an American drama series that was broadcast on ABC in 2002.-Synopsis:The series starred James Bulliard as Travis Glass, a 30-year-old who finds his life in a rut. Still living at home with his mother he works as a door-to-door salesman. The girl of his dreams, played by Kiele...
), a woman raised in the Mid-West by a large family, they move to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
to be closer to them and he has to quickly adjust to life with a big, caring family.
When Tom married Susan he thought he was only getting a new wife. He never even considered that he would be getting a brand new family as well. Included in this new family are mother Sandy, the rule-maker of the house, and father Bill, once an only child, who could be the one person Tom can relate to the most. There's also Susan's competitive sister Mary and her husband Chris, who considers himself Bill and Sandy's favorite son-in-law and finds Tom as somewhat of a threat. And finally there's Susan's brother Lewis, a shy and awkward young man who has made a career of collecting bugs. Other family members who occasionally dropped by included Uncle Dave, the big-shot of the family, and Lisa, the youngest daughter who wants to back-pack around Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and become an art major.
When Married to the Kellys premiered Fridays at 8:30pm/7:30 central during ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's fall 2003 season, it aired after George Lopez
George Lopez
George Lopez is an American comedian, actor, and talk show host. He is mostly known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom George Lopez. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including the Mexican American culture...
, where ABC brought back it's famed TGIF
TGIF
TGIF is an initialism for the phrase "Thank God It's Friday", celebrating the last day of the work/school week before the weekend. Its origin dates to the 1960s. It was first popularized by the restaurant T.G.I. Friday's which was founded in 1965. However, it became mainstream by the late 1970s,...
block along with the new Kelly Ripa
Kelly Ripa
Kelly Ripa is an American actress and television host. Since February 2001, she has served as the co-host of talk show Live with Regis and Kelly, along with Regis Philbin and now solo host of Live! With Kelly...
comedy Hope & Faith
Hope & Faith
Hope & Faith is an American sitcom that aired for three seasons on ABC from September 26, 2003, to May 2, 2006. For its first two seasons the show was part of a revived TGIF comedy block....
and Life with Bonnie
Life With Bonnie
Life with Bonnie is an ABC television sitcom that originally aired from 2002 to 2004. The show outlined the life of character Bonnie Malloy, who juggled her personal life and a TV talk show position. The series was created by Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake, and produced by Miss Hunt's company, Bob &...
. Originally bought by ABC as The Untitled Tom Hertz Project the show needed a quick title in order for the series to be promoted in time for the network to unveil its new line-up. So they decided on the tentative title Back to Kansas. Although the series does take place in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
the title didn't quite work since the main character isn't really returning to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
(his wife is) and the show wasn't really about the wife's "return" to Kansas but more about the entire Kelly family and the main character's efforts in trying to fit into a new situation. The show soon acquired the more appropriate and fitting title Married to the Kellys. An interesting fact about the show is that Tom Hertz didn't just use real life situations as inspiration for this sitcom, he also used real life family members. All the characters in the series were named after Tom, his wife and his in-laws (with the exception of Lewis).
Married to the Kellys also starred Josh Braaten (That '80s Show
That '80s Show
That '80s Show is an American sitcom that aired in half-hour long episodes from January through May 2002. Despite having a similar name, show structure, and many of the same writers and production staff, it is not considered a direct spin-off of the more successful That '70s Show, since the...
), Nancy Lenehan (Grace Under Fire), Emily Rutherfurd (The Ellen Show
The Ellen Show
The Ellen Show is a television sitcom starring Ellen DeGeneres that aired during the 2001–2002 season on CBS. It was DeGeneres's second attempt at a sitcom, after Ellen on ABC , but it was unable to garner strong ratings and was quickly cancelled.After coming out of the closet as a lesbian on her...
, Van Wilder), Sam Anderson (Angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
) and newcomer Derek Waters.
Cast
- Breckin MeyerBreckin Meyer-Early life:Meyer was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Dorothy Ann , a travel agent and former microbiologist, and Christopher William Meyer, a management consultant. As a child of divorced parents, he lived in California, Texas, West Virginia and New Jersey. He has an older brother,...
as Tom Wagner - Kiele SanchezKiele SanchezKiele Michelle Sanchez is an American actress who stars in the A&E Network drama The Glades. Previously she starred as the second-eldest Sorelli sister, Anne, a therapist in her mid-twenties, in The WB's comedic ensemble drama, Related. She was cast as a co-star in the third season of the ABC...
as Susan Wagner - Josh BraatenJosh BraatenJosh Braaten is an American actor. He grew up in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota and graduated from Blooming Prairie High in 1995...
as Chris - Emily RutherfurdEmily RutherfurdEmily Rutherfurd is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Christine "New Christine" Hunter on The New Adventures of Old Christine.-Personal life:...
as Mary - Derek Waters as Lewis Kelly
- Sam AndersonSam AndersonSam Anderson is an American actor.-Early life:Anderson was born in Wahpeton, North Dakota. He is a graduate of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. During the 1970s, Sam taught drama at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California.-Career:Anderson is perhaps best known for his roles...
as Bill Kelly - Nancy LenehanNancy LenehanNancy Lenehan is an American actress who has appeared in film and television since the 1980s. Her most recent starring role was on the short-lived sitcom Worst Week. She also co-starred as Sandy Kelly, the matriarch in the sitcom Married to the Kellys...
as Sandy Kelly - Richard RiehleRichard Riehle-Life and career:Riehle was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, the son of Mary Margaret , a nurse, and Herbert John Riehle , an assistant postmaster. He attended the University of Notre Dame....
as Uncle Dave
Guest stars
- Ashley Johnson as Shari
- Kelly McNair as Beth
- Eddie McClintock as Bob
- Seth GreenSeth GreenSeth Benjamin Green is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is well known for his role as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Dr. Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films, Mitch Miller in That '70s Show, and the voice of Chris...
as Dr. Jim Coglan - Stephen TobolowskyStephen TobolowskyStephen Harold Tobolowsky is an American actor. He is well known for his role as Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, as well as portraying Commissioner Hugo Jarry in Deadwood for nine episodes and Bob Bishop in Heroes for eleven episodes over the second and third seasons...
as Henry Conway - Tinsley Grimes as Lisa Kelly
- Lee MajorsLee MajorsLee Majors is an American television, film and voice actor, best known for his starring role as Colonel Steve Austin in The Six Million Dollar Man and as Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy ....
as himself - Tony Gonzalez as himself
- Michele Lee as Maggie Wagner
- Tony Roberts as Martin Wagner
- Keith CooganKeith CooganKeith Coogan is an American actor. He is a grandson of actor Jackie Coogan.-Biography:Coogan was born Keith Eric Mitchell in Palm Springs, California, the son of Leslie Diane Coogan Mitchell, an actress...
as Customer
Tom & Susan
Tom is the quirky sometimes stupid New York only child who marrys Kansas-raised Susan Kelly and decides to move back to her home so they can be closer to her parents. Tom is a writer with a New York Times best selling novel under his belt and Susan is a stay-at-home-and-blow-all-my-husband's-money wife.Chris & Mary
Chris is the whipped and sappy son-in-law who married Mary Kelly (who kept her last name Kelly while she was teaching at a university) and who fixes all of the problems around the house. Tom is usually trying to get Chris to stop being so uptight. Mary on the other hand is trying to get Chris to be like a dog to his master and ends up winning anyway.Lewis
Lewis is Mary and Susan's younger brother. He has a strange obsession with bugs and a secret girlfriend named Shari.Bill & Sandy
Bill and Sandy Kelly are the average all-American parents. Bill works a normal job and Sandy stays home and takes care of the home. The two are usually seen smiling and joking, saying words that haven't been included in the dictionary since the 1950s.Episodes
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