Mr. T and Tina
Encyclopedia
Mr. T and Tina is an American
sitcom
that aired for five episodes on ABC
in the fall of 1976. Starring Pat Morita
, the series was a spin-off
of the then-hit series Welcome Back, Kotter
. The show was the first American sitcom centered on a person of Asian descent.
(where Morita played Arnold Takahashi), Pat Morita
stars as Taro Takahashi, a Japan
ese inventor who lives with free-spirited American Tina Kelly ( Susan Blanchard
). Also in the cast was Ted Lange
who, thanks to this show's quick cancellation, was able to sign on to a more successful series, The Love Boat
. Morita went on to co-star in the equally short-lived series Blansky's Beauties
a few months later, making him one of the few actors to star in two unsuccessful, unrelated TV series during the same season.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sitcom
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 aired for five episodes on 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...
in the fall of 1976. Starring Pat Morita
Pat Morita
Noriyuki "Pat" Morita was an American actor of Japanese descent who was well-known for playing the roles of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days and Mr. Miyagi in the The Karate Kid movie series, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984.-Early life:Pat...
, the series was a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of the then-hit series Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
. The show was the first American sitcom centered on a person of Asian descent.
Synopsis
On leave from Happy DaysHappy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
(where Morita played Arnold Takahashi), Pat Morita
Pat Morita
Noriyuki "Pat" Morita was an American actor of Japanese descent who was well-known for playing the roles of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days and Mr. Miyagi in the The Karate Kid movie series, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984.-Early life:Pat...
stars as Taro Takahashi, a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese inventor who lives with free-spirited American Tina Kelly ( Susan Blanchard
Susan Blanchard (actress)
Susan Blanchard-Frank is an American actress, best known for playing Mary Kennicott Martin, R. N. #2 on the ABC soap opera All My Children from 1971 to 1975....
). Also in the cast was Ted Lange
Ted Lange
Theodore William "Ted" Lange is an American actor, director, and screenwriter best known for his role as the bartender, Isaac Washington, in the 1970s TV series The Love Boat...
who, thanks to this show's quick cancellation, was able to sign on to a more successful series, The Love Boat
The Love Boat
The Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
. Morita went on to co-star in the equally short-lived series Blansky's Beauties
Blansky's Beauties
Blansky's Beauties is an American sitcom which aired on the ABC network in 1977. The main character of the series was introduced in an episode of Happy Days.-Synopsis:...
a few months later, making him one of the few actors to star in two unsuccessful, unrelated TV series during the same season.
Cast
- Pat Morita .... Taro Takahashi
- Susan Blanchard .... Tina Kelly
- June AngelaJune AngelaJune Angela is an actress, singer, and dancer best known as Julie, the mainstay member of the Short Circus in the PBS children's television series The Electric Company during its entire six-year run.-The Short Circus:...
.... Sachi - Miriam Byrd-NetheryMiriam Byrd-NetheryMiriam Byrd-Nethery was the wife of actor Clu Gulager, and mother of Tom Gulager and John Gulager. She was born in Lewisville, Lafayette County, Arkansas and died in Los Angeles, California.-Filmography:...
.... Miss Llewellyn - Jerry Fujikawa .... Uncle Matsu
- Ted Lange .... Harvard
- Gene Profanato .... Aki
- Pat SuzukiPat SuzukiPat Suzuki is an American popular singer and actress, who is best known for her role in the original Broadway production of the musical Flower Drum Song, and her performance of the song "I Enjoy Being a Girl" in the show.-Career:Suzuki is a Nisei or second-generation Japanese American...
.... Michi