My Two Dads
Encyclopedia
My Two Dads is an American sitcom that starred Staci Keanan
, Paul Reiser
and Greg Evigan
. It aired on NBC
from 1987 to 1990 and was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions in association with TriStar Television
(later Columbia Pictures Television
) and distributed by TeleVentures
.
), the mother of Nicole Bradford (Keanan), dies. The two men who had competed for the woman's affections before Nicole was born — Michael Taylor (Reiser) and Joey Harris (Evigan) — are awarded joint custody of Nicole. The mix-ups of two single men raising a teenage daughter provided the story each week. Judge Margaret W. Wilbur (Florence Stanley
), a family court judge, would frequently visit the new family and served as Nicole's mentor.
Nicole's actual paternity was never revealed on the show. However, in the episode "Pop, the Question", Michael and Joey — after they had a falling out — had a DNA test run to determine which of them was Nicole's biological father. However, the test was conducted against Nicole's wishes, so she destroyed the results before opening them since she was happier not knowing who the father was. Michael and Joey later resolve their differences and reconcile. Judge Wilbur looks at the results, but throws them away without revealing them to the audience.
and Chad Allen
as two boys who competed for Nicole's affections as her two dads had done for her mother's. Florence Stanley
appeared as Judge Margaret Wilbur, who was responsible for assigning Nicole's custody, and who regularly looked over the family; she was also their landlady, being the resident owner of the apartment building where the family lived. The cast was rounded by former football
player Dick Butkus
, who managed the cafe in the building's first floor. The cafe (Klawicki's) was the second spot in the show where the plot usually revolved; the first being the family's apartment. In the third season, when Dick Butkus left the series, the diner was then run by cook Van Hammersly (Matt Landry), but there was no explanation as to what happened to Ed Klawicki. Ownership of the diner was explained to have been taken over by the judge at this point, and it was renamed accordingly.
with another NBC show, Night Court
. Judge Margaret W. Wilbur, played by Florence Stanley
, guest starred on Night Court, as the hard nosed, no-nonsense judge who places Nicole in the custody of Michael and Joey.
In turn, Richard Moll
guest starred as his Night Court character Bull in an episode of My Two Dads, protecting Judge Wilbur from a recently released criminal that she had sent to prison years before.
through the 1990s and again in the early 2000s. The show has not aired since. Minisodes
of several episodes from the first season can be streamed for free online on Crackle
.
Shout! Factory
(under license from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
) has released the first two seasons of My Two Dads on DVD in Region 1. Season 2 was released as a Shout! Factory select title, available exclusively through their online store.
♦ - Shout! Factory select title, sold exclusively through Shout's online store as well as EBay and Amazon.
Staci Keanan
Staci Keanan is an American actress. Keanan is best known for her roles in the television series My Two Dads and Step by Step .-Life and career:...
, Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser is an American stand-up comedian, actor, television personality, author, screenwriter and musician. He is most widely known for his role on the long-running television sitcom Mad About You.-Early life:...
and Greg Evigan
Greg Evigan
Gregory Ralph "Greg" Evigan is an American actor best known for the TV series B.J. and the Bear, My Two Dads, P.S. I Luv U and TekWar.-Personal life:...
. It aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from 1987 to 1990 and was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions in association with TriStar Television
TriStar Television
TriStar Television was an American television production company that was launched in 1986 by TriStar Pictures . The same year, Tri-Star Television joined forces with Stephen J...
(later Columbia Pictures Television
Columbia Pictures Television
Columbia Pictures Television was the second name of the Columbia Pictures television division Screen Gems . The studio changed its name on September 4, 1974.-1974-1982:...
) and distributed by TeleVentures
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist and occasional actor, and the founder of Stephen J. Cannell Productions.-Early life:...
.
Show synopsis
The show begins when Marcy Bradford (Emma SammsEmma Samms
Emma Samms is a British television actress best known for her role as Holly Sutton on the American daytime soap opera General Hospital and for replacing Pamela Sue Martin as Fallon Carrington Colby on the primetime soap opera Dynasty.-Early life:Samms was born in Willesden, London, England, the...
), the mother of Nicole Bradford (Keanan), dies. The two men who had competed for the woman's affections before Nicole was born — Michael Taylor (Reiser) and Joey Harris (Evigan) — are awarded joint custody of Nicole. The mix-ups of two single men raising a teenage daughter provided the story each week. Judge Margaret W. Wilbur (Florence Stanley
Florence Stanley
Florence Stanley was an American actress of stage, film, and television.-Early life and career:Florence Stanley was born as Florence Schwartz in Chicago, the daughter of Hanna and Jack Schwartz. She began a long career on stage, film and TV starting in the 1940s...
), a family court judge, would frequently visit the new family and served as Nicole's mentor.
Nicole's actual paternity was never revealed on the show. However, in the episode "Pop, the Question", Michael and Joey — after they had a falling out — had a DNA test run to determine which of them was Nicole's biological father. However, the test was conducted against Nicole's wishes, so she destroyed the results before opening them since she was happier not knowing who the father was. Michael and Joey later resolve their differences and reconcile. Judge Wilbur looks at the results, but throws them away without revealing them to the audience.
Main cast
- Paul ReiserPaul ReiserPaul Reiser is an American stand-up comedian, actor, television personality, author, screenwriter and musician. He is most widely known for his role on the long-running television sitcom Mad About You.-Early life:...
– Michael Taylor - Greg EviganGreg EviganGregory Ralph "Greg" Evigan is an American actor best known for the TV series B.J. and the Bear, My Two Dads, P.S. I Luv U and TekWar.-Personal life:...
– Joey Harris - Staci KeananStaci KeananStaci Keanan is an American actress. Keanan is best known for her roles in the television series My Two Dads and Step by Step .-Life and career:...
– Nicole Bradford - Florence StanleyFlorence StanleyFlorence Stanley was an American actress of stage, film, and television.-Early life and career:Florence Stanley was born as Florence Schwartz in Chicago, the daughter of Hanna and Jack Schwartz. She began a long career on stage, film and TV starting in the 1940s...
– Judge Margaret W. Wilbur - Giovanni RibisiGiovanni RibisiGiovanni Ribisi is an American actor. His film credits include Gone in 60 Seconds, Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan, The Mod Squad, The Gift, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Lost in Translation and more recently, Public Enemies and Avatar...
– Cory Kupkus (credited as Vonni Ribisi) - Chad AllenChad Allen (actor)Chad Allen is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of seven, Allen is a three-time Young Artist Award winner and GLAAD Media Award honoree, best known for rising to prominence as a teen idol during the late 1980s as David Witherspoon on the NBC family drama,...
– Zach Nichols (1989–1990) - Dick ButkusDick ButkusRichard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
– Ed Klawicki (1987–1989) - Amy Hathaway – Shelby Haskell (1989–1990)
- Don Yesso – Julian (1989–1990)
- Peter Brost – Young Michael Taylor (1987–1990)
Supporting characters
The series regularly featured Giovanni RibisiGiovanni Ribisi
Giovanni Ribisi is an American actor. His film credits include Gone in 60 Seconds, Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan, The Mod Squad, The Gift, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Lost in Translation and more recently, Public Enemies and Avatar...
and Chad Allen
Chad Allen (actor)
Chad Allen is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of seven, Allen is a three-time Young Artist Award winner and GLAAD Media Award honoree, best known for rising to prominence as a teen idol during the late 1980s as David Witherspoon on the NBC family drama,...
as two boys who competed for Nicole's affections as her two dads had done for her mother's. Florence Stanley
Florence Stanley
Florence Stanley was an American actress of stage, film, and television.-Early life and career:Florence Stanley was born as Florence Schwartz in Chicago, the daughter of Hanna and Jack Schwartz. She began a long career on stage, film and TV starting in the 1940s...
appeared as Judge Margaret Wilbur, who was responsible for assigning Nicole's custody, and who regularly looked over the family; she was also their landlady, being the resident owner of the apartment building where the family lived. The cast was rounded by former football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus
Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
, who managed the cafe in the building's first floor. The cafe (Klawicki's) was the second spot in the show where the plot usually revolved; the first being the family's apartment. In the third season, when Dick Butkus left the series, the diner was then run by cook Van Hammersly (Matt Landry), but there was no explanation as to what happened to Ed Klawicki. Ownership of the diner was explained to have been taken over by the judge at this point, and it was renamed accordingly.
Night Court connection
My Two Dads had a crossoverFictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
with another NBC show, Night Court
Night Court
Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone...
. Judge Margaret W. Wilbur, played by Florence Stanley
Florence Stanley
Florence Stanley was an American actress of stage, film, and television.-Early life and career:Florence Stanley was born as Florence Schwartz in Chicago, the daughter of Hanna and Jack Schwartz. She began a long career on stage, film and TV starting in the 1940s...
, guest starred on Night Court, as the hard nosed, no-nonsense judge who places Nicole in the custody of Michael and Joey.
In turn, Richard Moll
Richard Moll
Charles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
guest starred as his Night Court character Bull in an episode of My Two Dads, protecting Judge Wilbur from a recently released criminal that she had sent to prison years before.
Syndication & DVD release
Reruns of the show aired on the USA NetworkUSA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
through the 1990s and again in the early 2000s. The show has not aired since. Minisodes
The Minisode Network
The Minisode Network is a Sony Pictures Television internet television network launched in June 2007. The term minisode is a portmanteau of "mini" and "episode." Unlike webisodes, which are initially broadcast on the internet, minisodes are condensed versions of previously broadcast, full length,...
of several episodes from the first season can be streamed for free online on Crackle
Crackle
Crackle is a digital network and studio, featuring commercially supported streaming video content in Flash Video format. It is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, and its content consists primarily of Sony's library of films and television shows...
.
Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
(under license from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation. It was established in November 1979 as Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment, releasing 20 titles: The Anderson Tapes, Bell, Book and Candle, Born Free, Breakout,...
) has released the first two seasons of My Two Dads on DVD in Region 1. Season 2 was released as a Shout! Factory select title, available exclusively through their online store.
| DVD name | Ep # | Release date | Special Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Complete First Season | 22 | March 3, 2009 | A look back at My Two Dads with Greg Evigan and Staci Keanan. |
| The Complete Second Season♦ | 16 | March 16, 2010 | |
| The Complete Third Season | 22 | TBA |
♦ - Shout! Factory select title, sold exclusively through Shout's online store as well as EBay and Amazon.
Awards
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Young Artist Awards | Won | The Most Promising New Fall Television Series | |
| Best Young Actress Featured, Co-starring, Supporting, Recurring Role in a Comedy or Drama Series or Special | Staci Keanan | |||
| 1989 | Best Young Actor Guest Starring in a Drama or Comedy Series | Chad Allen | ||
| 1988 | People's Choice Awards People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett... |
Favorite New TV Comedy Program |